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As filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission on June 3, 2011
Registration
No. 333-174214
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO
FORM S-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
CoStar Group, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as
specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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7389
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52-2091509
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
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(Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)
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1331 L Street,
NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 346-6500
(Address, Including Zip Code,
and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrants
Principal Executive Offices)
Jonathan Coleman
General Counsel
CoStar Group, Inc.
1331 L Street,
NW
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 346-6500
(Name, Address , Including Zip
Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for
Service)
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copies to:
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Robert E. Spatt
Sean D. Rodgers
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
425 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
(212) 455-2000
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Richard J. Boyle, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
LoopNet, Inc.
185 Berry Street, Suite 4000
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 243-4200
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William M. Kelly
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
1600 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(650) 752-2000
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Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the
public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of
this registration statement and the effective time of the merger
of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Registrant with and into
LoopNet, Inc. as described in the Agreement and Plan of Merger
dated as of April 27, 2011.
If the securities being registered on this form are being
offered in connection with the formation of a holding company
and there is compliance with General Instruction G, check
the following
box. o
If this form is filed to register additional securities for an
offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act,
check the following box and list the Securities Act registration
statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same
offering. o
If this form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to
Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following
box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of
the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated
filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of
large accelerated filer, accelerated
filer and smaller reporting company in
Rule 12b-2
of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated
filer o
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Accelerated
filer þ
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Non-accelerated
filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
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Smaller reporting
company o
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If applicable, place an X in the box to designate the
appropriate rule provision relied upon in conducting this
transaction:
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Exchange Act
Rule 13e-4(i)
(Cross-Border Issuer Tender
Offer) o
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Exchange Act
Rule 14d-1(d)
(Cross-Border Third-Party Tender
Offer) o
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CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION
FEE
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Title of Each Class of
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Amount to be
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Proposed Maximum
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Proposed Maximum
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Amount of
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Securities to be Registered
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Registered(1)
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Offering Price Per Unit
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Aggregate Offering Price(2)
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Registration Fee(2)
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Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value
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2,250,000
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N/A
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$213,290,737.36
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$24,763.05
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(1)
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Represents the maximum number of
shares of CoStar common stock issuable upon consummation of the
merger.
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(2)
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A registration fee of $24,763.05
was previously paid in connection with the initial filing of
this registration statement on May 13, 2011.
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The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on
such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective
date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this registration statement shall
thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a)
of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration
statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission,
acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
Information
contained herein is subject to completion or amendment. A
registration statement relating to these securities has been
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These
securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted
prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.
This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of any offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of
these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer,
solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or
qualification under the securities laws of any such
jurisdiction.
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PRELIMINARY
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED JUNE 3,
2011
Dear Stockholder:
The Board of Directors of LoopNet, Inc. has unanimously approved
a merger agreement providing for LoopNet to be acquired by
CoStar Group, Inc. You are cordially invited to attend a special
meeting of LoopNet stockholders to be held at 9:00 am, local
time, on July 11, 2011, at 185 Berry Street,
San Francisco, CA 94017.
At the special meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote
upon a proposal to adopt the merger agreement entered into on
April 27, 2011, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated
May 20, 2011, pursuant to which LoopNet would be acquired
through a merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of CoStar. If
the merger contemplated by the merger agreement is completed:
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the holders of LoopNet common stock outstanding immediately
prior to the effective time of the merger will receive a unit
consisting of (i) $16.50 in cash, without interest and less
applicable withholding tax, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of
CoStar common stock, for each share of LoopNet common stock that
they own immediately prior to the effective time of the merger,
unless they exercise and perfect their appraisal rights under
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the
DGCL); and
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the holders of the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, if any, will receive a unit consisting of
(i) $2,455.36 in cash, without interest and less applicable
withholding tax, and (ii) 5.5089 shares of CoStar
common stock, for each share of Series A Convertible
Preferred Stock that they own immediately prior to the effective
time of the merger, unless they exercise and perfect their
appraisal rights under the DGCL. This per share consideration
for Series A Convertible Preferred Stock represents the
common stock equivalent consideration for each share of
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock. As discussed in the
accompanying proxy statement/prospectus under the heading
The Voting Agreement Contingent
Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders
of all outstanding shares of Series A Convertible Preferred
Stock have delivered contingent conversion notices to LoopNet
pursuant to which such shares will be converted into LoopNet
common stock immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the
completion of the merger.
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At the special meeting, you also will be asked to consider and
vote upon a proposal to approve, by an advisory vote, the
agreements and understandings of LoopNet and its named executive
officers concerning compensation that is based on or otherwise
relates to the merger contemplated by the merger agreement, and
the aggregate total of all such compensation that may be paid or
become payable to or on behalf of such executive officers, as
disclosed in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus under
the heading The Merger Interests of
Executive Officers and Directors of LoopNet in the Merger;
Change in Control Severance Payments (the change in
control severance payments).
After careful consideration, the LoopNet Board of Directors
approved the merger agreement, the merger and the other
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement and
unanimously declared that the merger agreement, the merger and
the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement are
advisable, fair to and in the best interests of the stockholders
of LoopNet. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF LOOPNET UNANIMOUSLY
RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE MERGER
AGREEMENT, FOR THE APPROVAL, BY ADVISORY VOTE, OF THE CHANGE IN
CONTROL SEVERANCE PAYMENTS AND FOR THE PROPOSAL TO ADJOURN
THE SPECIAL MEETING, IF NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE, TO SOLICIT
ADDITIONAL PROXIES.
The proxy statement/prospectus attached to this letter provides
you with information about LoopNet, CoStar, the proposed merger
and the special meeting of LoopNets stockholders. LoopNet
encourages you to read the entire proxy statement/prospectus
carefully. For a discussion of risk factors you should
consider in evaluating the merger on which you are being asked
to vote, see Risk Factors beginning on page 26
of the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus. You may also
obtain more information about LoopNet and CoStar from documents
LoopNet and CoStar have filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. Shares of LoopNet common stock are listed on the
NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol
LOOP and shares of CoStar common stock are listed on
the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol
CSGP.
Your vote is important. Adoption of the merger agreement
requires the approval of the holders of a majority of the
outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock and
Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, voting together as a
single class on an as-converted basis. The failure of any
stockholder to vote will have the same effect as a vote against
adopting the merger agreement. Accordingly, whether or not you
plan to attend the special meeting, you are requested to
promptly grant a proxy for your shares by completing, signing
and dating the enclosed proxy card and returning it in the
envelope provided, or by the telephone or over the Internet as
instructed in these materials. If you sign, date and mail your
proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your vote
will be counted as a vote FOR adoption of the merger agreement,
approval, by an advisory vote, of the change in control
severance payments, and adjourning the special meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies.
Granting a proxy will not prevent you from voting your shares in
person if you choose to attend the special meeting.
Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.
Very truly yours,
Richard J. Boyle, Jr.
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state
securities commission has approved or disapproved of the merger
or the other transactions described in the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus nor have they approved or disapproved of
the issuance of the CoStar common stock in connection with the
merger, or determined if the accompanying proxy
statement/prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation
to the contrary is a criminal offense.
THE
ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS IS DATED
JUNE , 2011 AND IS FIRST BEING MAILED TO STOCKHOLDERS
OF LOOPNET, INC. ON OR ABOUT JUNE , 2011.
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
The accompanying document is the proxy statement of LoopNet,
Inc. for its special meeting of stockholders and the prospectus
of CoStar Group, Inc. for the shares of common stock of CoStar
to be issued in connection with the merger. The accompanying
proxy statement/prospectus incorporates important business and
financial information about LoopNet and CoStar from documents
that are not included in or delivered with the accompanying
proxy statement/prospectus. This information is available to you
without charge upon your request. You can obtain documents
incorporated by reference into the accompany proxy
statement/prospectus by requesting them in writing or by
telephone from the appropriate company at the following
addresses and telephone numbers:
CoStar Group, Inc.
Attention: Investor Relations
1331 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
Telephone:
(877) 285-8321
LoopNet, Inc.
Attention: Investor Relations
185 Berry Street, Suite 4000
San Francisco, CA 94107
Telephone:
(415) 284-4310
In addition, if you have questions about the merger or the
accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, would like additional
copies of the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus or need to
obtain proxy cards, you may contact LoopNets proxy
solicitation agent:
199 Water Street, 26th Floor
New York, NY
10038-3560
Banks and Brokers Call
(212) 440-9800
All Others Call Toll Free
(866) 785-7395
In order to receive timely delivery of the documents in
advance of the special meeting of LoopNet stockholders, you must
request the information no later than July 1, 2011.
For a more detailed description of the information incorporated
by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus and how you may
obtain it, see Where You Can Find Additional
Information beginning on page 111 of the accompanying
proxy statement/prospectus.
LOOPNET, INC.
185 Berry Street, Suite 4000
San Francisco, CA 94107
NOTICE OF
SPECIAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE
HELD JULY 11, 2011
To the Stockholders of LoopNet, Inc.:
A special meeting of stockholders of LoopNet, Inc.
(LoopNet), a Delaware corporation, will be held at
9:00 am, local time, on July 11, 2011, at 185 Berry Street,
San Francisco, CA 94017 for the following purposes:
1. Adoption of the Merger Agreement. To consider and
vote on a proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger
dated as of April 27, 2011 as amended by Amendment No. 1
dated May 20, 2011, among CoStar Group, Inc.
(CoStar), Lonestar Acquisition Sub, Inc.
(merger sub), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CoStar,
and LoopNet, as it may be further amended from time to time,
pursuant to which merger sub will be merged with and into
LoopNet, with LoopNet surviving the merger as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of CoStar;
2. Approval of Change in Control Severance Payments.
To consider and vote on a proposal to approve, by an
advisory vote, the agreements and understandings of LoopNet and
its named executive officers concerning compensation that is
based on or otherwise relates to the merger, and the aggregate
total of all such compensation that may be paid or become
payable to or on behalf of such executive officers, as disclosed
in this proxy statement/prospectus under the heading The
Merger Interests of Executive Officers and
Directors of LoopNet in the Merger; Change in Control Severance
Payments; and
3. Adjournment of the Special Meeting. To approve
the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or
appropriate, for, among other reasons, the solicitation of
additional proxies in the event that there are not sufficient
votes at the time of the special meeting to adopt the merger
agreement.
Only stockholders of record at the close of business on
June 1, 2011 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the
special meeting and at any adjournment or postponement of the
special meeting. All stockholders of record are cordially
invited to attend the special meeting in person. To ensure your
representation at the meeting in case you cannot attend, you are
urged to grant a proxy for your shares by completing, signing,
dating and returning the enclosed proxy card as promptly as
possible in the postage prepaid envelope enclosed for that
purpose or by telephone or through the Internet. Any stockholder
attending the special meeting may vote in person even if he or
she has returned or otherwise submitted a proxy card.
Stockholders of LoopNet who do not vote in favor of adopting the
merger agreement will have the right to seek appraisal of the
fair value of their shares if the merger is completed, but only
if they submit a written demand for appraisal to LoopNet prior
to the time the vote is taken on the merger agreement and comply
with all other requirements of the DGCL. A copy of the
applicable DGCL statutory provisions is included as Annex D
to the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus, and a summary of
these provisions can be found under Appraisal
Rights in the accompanying proxy statement/prospectus.
The adoption of the merger agreement requires the affirmative
vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of
LoopNets common stock and Series A Convertible
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class on an
as-converted basis. The failure to vote will have the same
effect as a vote against the merger. Even if you plan to attend
the special meeting in person, please complete, sign, date and
return the enclosed proxy or submit your proxy by telephone or
the Internet as instructed in these materials as promptly as
possible to ensure that your shares will be represented at the
special meeting if you are unable to attend. If you do attend
the special meeting and wish to vote in person, you may withdraw
your proxy and vote in person. If you sign, date and mail your
proxy card without indicating how you wish to vote, your vote
will be counted as a vote in favor of adoption of the merger
agreement, approval, by an advisory vote, of the change in
control severance payments and adjourning the special meeting,
if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies. If
you fail to return your proxy card, the effect will be that your
shares will not be counted
for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the
special meeting and will effectively be counted as a vote
against adoption of the merger agreement.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Brent Stumme
Secretary
San Francisco, California
June , 2011
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
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iii
QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE MERGER AND THE SPECIAL MEETING
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Q:
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What is
the proposed transaction?
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A: |
The proposed transaction is the acquisition of LoopNet, Inc.
(LoopNet) by CoStar Group, Inc.
(CoStar). CoStar has agreed to acquire LoopNet
pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of
April 27, 2011, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated
May 20, 2011, among CoStar, Lonestar Acquisition Sub, Inc.
and LoopNet (the merger agreement). Lonestar
Acquisition Sub, Inc. (merger sub) is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of CoStar. Once the merger agreement has been adopted
by LoopNets stockholders and the other closing conditions
under the merger agreement have been satisfied or waived, merger
sub will merge with and into LoopNet. LoopNet will be the
surviving corporation in the merger and will become a
wholly-owned subsidiary of CoStar. The merger agreement is
attached as Annex A to this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Q:
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What will
LoopNets stockholders receive in the merger?
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A: |
If the merger contemplated by the merger agreement is completed,
the holders of LoopNet common stock outstanding immediately
prior to the effective time of the merger will receive a unit
consisting of (i) $16.50 in cash, without interest and less
applicable withholding tax, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of
CoStar common stock, for each share of common stock that they
own immediately prior to the effective time of the merger,
unless they exercise and perfect their appraisal rights under
the DGCL.
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Upon completion of the merger, the holders of Series A
Convertible Preferred Stock (the Series A Preferred
Stock) outstanding immediately prior to the effective time
of the merger, if any, will receive a unit consisting of
(i) $2,455.36 in cash, without interest and less applicable
withholding tax, and (ii) 5.5089 shares of CoStar
common stock, for each share of Series A Preferred Stock
that they own immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, unless they exercise and perfect their appraisal rights
under the DGCL. The per share consideration for Series A
Preferred Stock represents the common stock equivalent
consideration for each share of Series A Preferred Stock,
as provided pursuant to the terms of the Certificate of
Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of
LoopNet (the Series A Certificate). As
discussed in this proxy statement/prospectus under the heading
The Voting Agreement Contingent
Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders
of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock have
delivered contingent conversion notices to LoopNet pursuant to
which such shares will be converted into LoopNet common stock
immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the completion of the
merger.
Based on the closing price of CoStar common stock on the NASDAQ
Global Select Market (Nasdaq) on April 26,
2011, the day prior to the Boards approval of the proposed
merger, the merger consideration represented approximately
$18.73 in value for each share of LoopNet common stock. Based on
the closing price of CoStar common stock on Nasdaq on
June 1, 2011, the most recent practicable trading day prior
to the date of this proxy statement/prospectus, the merger
consideration represented approximately $18.76 in value for each
share of LoopNet common stock. Because CoStar will issue a fixed
number of shares of CoStar common stock in exchange for each
share of LoopNet common stock and Series A Preferred Stock,
the value of the stock portion of the merger consideration that
LoopNet stockholders will receive in the merger will depend on
the price per share of CoStar common stock at the time the
merger is completed. That price will not be known at the time of
the meeting and may be less than the current price or the price
at the time of the special meeting.
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Q:
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What
happens if the merger is not completed?
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A: |
If the merger agreement is not adopted by LoopNet stockholders
or if the merger is not completed for any other reason, you will
not receive any payment for your shares of LoopNet common stock
or Series A Preferred Stock in connection with the merger.
Instead, LoopNet will remain an independent public company and
its common stock will continue to be listed and traded on
Nasdaq. If the merger agreement is terminated under specified
circumstances, LoopNet may be required to pay CoStar a
termination fee of
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$25.8 million and if the merger is terminated under certain
other circumstances, CoStar may be required to pay LoopNet a
termination fee of $51.6 million as described under
The Merger Agreement Termination Fees and
Expenses.
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Q:
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Where and
when is the special meeting?
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A: |
The special meeting will take place at 9:00 am, local time,
on July 11, 2011, at 185 Berry Street, San Francisco,
CA 94017.
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Q:
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Who is
eligible to vote?
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A: |
Holders of LoopNet common stock and Series A Preferred
Stock as of the close of business on June 1, 2011, the
record date for the special meeting, are eligible to vote.
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Q:
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How many
votes do LoopNets stockholders have?
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A: |
Holders of LoopNet common stock have one vote for each share of
common stock that such holder owned at the close of business on
June 1, 2011, the record date for the special meeting.
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Pursuant to the terms of the Series A Certificate, holders
of Series A Preferred Stock vote on an as-converted basis
with the holders of LoopNet common stock as a single class.
Holders of Series A Preferred Stock have 148.80952 votes
per share based on the current conversion ratio. Holders of
Series A Preferred Stock have unanimously consented to the
merger and the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement
for purposes of Section 8 of the Series A Certificate,
which provides the holders of Series A Preferred Stock with
a consent right over certain matters.
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Q:
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What vote
of LoopNets stockholders is required to approve each
proposal?
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A: |
The following are the vote requirements for the proposals:
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Adoption of the merger agreement. In order to
complete the merger, holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of LoopNets common stock and Series A
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class on an
as-converted basis, must vote FOR the adoption of the merger
agreement (the Stockholder Approval).
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Advisory vote approving change in control severance
payments. The affirmative vote of holders of a
majority of the votes cast at the special meeting and entitled
to vote thereon, will be required to approve, by an advisory
vote, the change in control severance payments.
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Adjournment (if necessary). The affirmative
vote of holders of a majority of the votes cast at the special
meeting and entitled to vote thereon will be required to approve
adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or appropriate,
to solicit additional proxies.
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Q:
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What
constitutes a quorum for the special meeting?
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A: |
A majority of the outstanding shares of LoopNets common
stock and Series A Preferred Stock, on an as-converted
basis, entitled to vote being present in person or represented
by proxy constitutes a quorum for the special meeting. If a
quorum shall fail to attend the meeting, the chairman of the
meeting may adjourn the meeting to another place, if any, date
or time.
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Q:
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How does
LoopNets Board of Directors recommend that I
vote?
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A: |
LoopNets Board of Directors (the Board), by
unanimous vote, has determined that it is advisable and in the
best interests of LoopNet and its stockholders to consummate the
merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement. The Board unanimously recommends that stockholders
vote FOR the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, FOR the
approval, by advisory vote, of the change in control severance
payments and FOR the proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies. The
Board is soliciting stockholder votes consistent with the
Boards
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recommendation. You should read the section entitled The
Merger The Recommendation of LoopNets Board of
Directors and LoopNets Reasons for the Merger for a
discussion of the factors that the Board considered in deciding
to recommend voting FOR adoption of the merger agreement.
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Q:
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Are any
LoopNet stockholders already committed to vote in favor of the
merger?
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A: |
Yes. LoopNets directors and certain of LoopNets
executive officers and significant stockholders entered into a
voting and support agreement (the voting agreement)
with CoStar and LoopNet and have agreed, in their capacities as
LoopNet stockholders, to, among other things, vote all shares of
LoopNets capital stock beneficially owned by them in favor
of adoption of the merger agreement and any related proposal in
furtherance thereof and against any proposal made in opposition
to the merger, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions
of the voting agreement. As of the record date, the directors,
executive officers and significant stockholders who signed the
voting agreement beneficially owned approximately 32% of the
total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock
(including the shares underlying the Series A Preferred
Stock but excluding shares issuable upon exercise of options
held by such stockholders). The voting agreement will terminate
automatically upon termination of the merger agreement. As long
as the voting agreement remains in effect, approximately 32% of
the total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock are
committed to be voted in favor of the adoption of the merger
agreement. See The Voting Agreement.
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Q:
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What do I
need to do now?
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A: |
Please read this proxy statement/prospectus carefully, including
its annexes, to consider how the merger affects you. After you
read this proxy statement/prospectus, you should complete, sign
and date your proxy card and mail it in the enclosed return
envelope or submit your proxy over the telephone or over the
Internet as soon as possible so that your shares can be voted at
the special meeting of LoopNets stockholders. If you sign,
date and mail your proxy card without indicating how you wish to
vote, your vote will be cast FOR adoption of the merger
agreement, FOR approval, by advisory vote, of the change in
control severance payments, and FOR the proposal to adjourn the
special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit
additional proxies.
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Q:
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What
happens if I do not return a proxy card or otherwise
vote?
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A: |
The failure to return your proxy card or to otherwise vote will
have the same effect as voting against the merger. A vote to
abstain will also have the same effect as voting against the
merger.
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A: |
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at
the special meeting, vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy
card, vote by proxy over the telephone, or vote by proxy on the
Internet. If you vote by proxy, your shares will be voted as you
specify on the proxy card, over the telephone or on the
Internet. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, LoopNet
urges you to vote by proxy to ensure your vote is counted. You
may still attend the special meeting and vote in person if you
have already voted by proxy.
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To vote in person, come to the special meeting and you will be
given a ballot when you arrive.
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To vote using the enclosed proxy card, simply complete, sign and
date the enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the
enclosed return envelope. If you return your signed proxy card
to LoopNet before the special meeting, LoopNet will vote your
shares as you direct.
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To submit your proxy over the telephone, dial toll-free
1-800-652-VOTE
(8683) using a touch-tone phone and follow the recorded
instructions. You will be asked to provide the company number
and control number from the enclosed proxy card. Your proxy must
be received by 1:00 am, Pacific Time, on July 11, 2011
to be counted.
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To submit your proxy on the Internet, go to
www.envisionreports.com/Loop to complete an electronic proxy
card. You will be asked to provide the company number and
control number from the enclosed proxy card. Your proxy must be
received by 1:00 am, Pacific Time, on July 11, 2011 to
be counted.
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If your shares of common stock are held in street
name by your broker, you should have received a proxy card
and voting instructions with these proxy materials from that
organization rather than from LoopNet. Your broker will vote
your shares only if you provide instructions to your broker on
how to vote. You should instruct your broker to vote your
shares, following the procedures provided by your broker.
Without such instructions, your shares will not be voted, which
will have the same effect as voting against the merger. See
The Special Meeting of LoopNets
Stockholders Voting by Proxy.
LoopNet provides Internet proxy submission to allow you to
grant a proxy for your shares online, with procedures designed
to ensure the authenticity and correctness of your proxy vote
instructions. However, please be aware that you must bear any
costs associated with your Internet access, such as usage
charges from Internet access providers and telephone
companies.
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Q:
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What does
it mean if I receive more than one set of materials?
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A: |
This means you own shares of LoopNet stock that are registered
under different names. For example, you may own some shares
directly as a stockholder of record and other shares through a
broker or you may own shares through more than one broker. In
these situations, you will receive multiple sets of proxy
materials. You must complete, sign, date and return each of the
proxy cards that you receive, or grant a proxy for all of your
shares over the telephone or over the Internet in accordance
with the instructions above in order to grant a proxy for all of
the shares you own. Each proxy card you receive comes with its
own prepaid return envelope and control number(s); if you grant
a proxy by mail, make sure you return each proxy card in the
return envelope that accompanies that proxy card, and if you
grant a proxy by telephone or via the Internet, use the control
number(s) on each proxy card.
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A: |
If you are the stockholder of record of shares of LoopNet common
stock or Series A Preferred Stock, you have the right to
vote in person at the special meeting with respect to those
shares. If you are the beneficial owner of shares of common
stock, you are invited to attend the special meeting. However,
since you are not the stockholder of record, you may not vote
these shares in person at the special meeting, unless you obtain
a legal proxy from your broker, bank or nominee giving you the
right to vote the shares at the special meeting. Even if you
plan to attend the special meeting as a stockholder of record,
LoopNet recommends that you also submit your proxy card or
voting instructions as described in the above Q&A entitled
How do I vote? so that your vote will be counted if
you later decide not to attend the special meeting.
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Q:
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Am I
entitled to appraisal rights?
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A: |
Under Section 262 of the DGCL, LoopNet stockholders will be
entitled to seek appraisal for their shares only if certain
criteria are satisfied. See Appraisal Rights and
Annex D of this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Q:
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Is
completion of the merger subject to any conditions?
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A: |
Yes. CoStar and LoopNet are not required to complete the merger
unless a number of conditions are satisfied or waived. These
conditions include the adoption of the merger agreement by
LoopNets stockholders and expiration of the waiting period
under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino
Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR
Act). The merger is not subject to a financing condition.
For a more complete summary of the conditions that must be
satisfied or waived prior to completion of the merger, see
The Merger Agreement Conditions of the
Merger.
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Q:
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Is the
merger expected to be taxable to owners of LoopNet common
stock?
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A: |
The merger is expected to be a taxable transaction for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly,
U.S. holders of LoopNet common stock would generally be
subject to U.S. federal income tax as a result of the
exchange of their LoopNet common stock for CoStar common stock
and cash (including cash
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received in lieu of a fractional share of CoStar common stock)
in the merger. See The Merger Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger.
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Q:
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When do
you expect the merger to be completed?
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A: |
LoopNet and CoStar are working to complete the merger as quickly
as possible after the special meeting, and anticipate that the
merger will be completed by the end of 2011. In order to
complete the merger, LoopNet must obtain the required
Stockholder Approval, and a number of other closing conditions
under the merger agreement must be satisfied or waived. See
The Merger Agreement Conditions of the
Merger.
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Q:
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Should I
send in my stock certificates now?
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A: |
No. At or about the date of completion of the merger, if
you hold certificated shares, you will receive a letter of
transmittal with instructions informing you how to send in your
stock certificates to CoStars exchange agent in order to
receive the merger consideration. You should use the letter of
transmittal to exchange stock certificates for the merger
consideration to which you are entitled as a result of the
merger. DO NOT SEND ANY STOCK CERTIFICATES WITH YOUR
PROXY.
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If you own shares of LoopNet common stock that are held in
street name by your broker, you will receive
instructions from your broker as to how to surrender your
street name shares and receive cash and stock for
those shares following the completion of the merger.
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Q:
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Who can
help answer my questions?
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A: |
The information provided above in the
question-and-answer
format is for your convenience only and is merely a summary of
some of the information in this proxy statement/prospectus. You
should carefully read the entire proxy statement/prospectus,
including its annexes. If you would like additional copies of
this proxy statement/prospectus, without charge, or if you have
questions about the merger, including the procedures for voting
your shares, you should contact LoopNets proxy
solicitation agent:
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http://www.georgeson.com/
199 Water Street, 26th Floor
New York, NY
10038-3560
Banks and Brokers Call
(212) 440-9800
All Others Call Toll Free
(866) 785-7395
You may also wish to consult your legal, tax
and/or
financial advisors with respect to any aspect of the merger, the
merger agreement or other matters discussed in this proxy
statement/prospectus.
5
SUMMARY
This summary highlights selected information from this proxy
statement/prospectus. It may not contain all of the information
that is important to you. You are urged to read carefully the
entire proxy statement/prospectus and the other documents
referred to in this proxy statement/prospectus in order to fully
understand the merger agreement and the proposed merger. See
Where You Can Find Additional Information on
page 111 of this proxy statement/prospectus. Each item in
this summary refers to the page of this proxy
statement/prospectus on which that subject is discussed in more
detail.
The
Companies
LoopNet,
Inc.
LoopNet owns and operates an online marketplace for commercial
real estate in the United States. The online marketplace,
available at www.loopnet.com, enables commercial real estate
agents, working on behalf of property owners and landlords, to
list properties for sale or for lease and submit detailed
information on property listings in order to find a buyer or
tenant. By connecting the sources of commercial real estate
supply and demand in an efficient manner, LoopNets online
marketplace enables commercial real estate participants to
initiate and complete more transactions more cost-effectively
than through other means.
The principal trading market for LoopNets common stock
(NASDAQ: LOOP) is the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
LoopNets executive offices are located at 185 Berry
Street, Suite 4000, San Francisco, CA 94107. Its
telephone number is
(415) 243-4200.
CoStar
Group, Inc.
CoStar Group, Inc. provides information and analytic services to
the commercial real estate industry in the United States (U.S.)
and United Kingdom (U.K.). CoStar offers the most comprehensive
commercial real estate database available, has the largest
research department in the industry, and provides information
and analytic services. CoStars integrated suite of
services offers customers online access to the most
comprehensive database of commercial real estate information,
which has been researched and verified by its team of
researchers, currently covering the U.S., as well as London and
other parts of the U.K. and parts of France. Since its founding
in 1987, CoStars strategy has been to provide commercial
real estate professionals with critical knowledge to explore and
complete transactions by offering the most comprehensive, timely
and standardized information on U.S. commercial real estate.
The principal trading market for CoStars common stock
(NASDAQ: CSGP) is the Nasdaq Global Select Market. CoStars
executive offices are located at 1331 L Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20005. Its telephone number is
(202) 346-6500.
Lonestar
Acquisition Sub, Inc.
Lonestar Acquisition Sub, Inc., or merger sub, is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of CoStar, whose address is 1331 L Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Its telephone number is
(202) 346-6500.
Merger sub was formed solely for the purpose of facilitating
CoStars acquisition of LoopNet and has not carried on any
activities other than in connection with the merger.
The
Merger (see page 67)
CoStar and LoopNet agreed to the acquisition of LoopNet by
CoStar under the terms of the merger agreement that is described
in this proxy statement/prospectus. Pursuant to the terms of the
merger agreement, merger sub will be merged with and into
LoopNet, with LoopNet surviving the merger as a wholly-owned
subsidiary of CoStar. CoStar and LoopNet have attached the
merger agreement as Annex A to this proxy
statement/prospectus. CoStar and LoopNet encourage you to read
carefully the merger agreement in its entirety because it is the
legal document that governs the merger.
6
Consideration
to Be Received in the Merger (see page 67)
Upon completion of the merger, the holders of LoopNet common
stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger (other than treasury stock or shares of common stock
owned by CoStar or merger sub) will receive a unit consisting of
(i) $16.50 in cash, without interest and less applicable
withholding tax, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of CoStar
common stock, for each share of common stock that they own
immediately prior to the effective time of the merger, unless
they exercise and perfect their appraisal rights under the DGCL.
Upon completion of the merger, the holders of Series A
Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective
time of the merger, if any, will receive a unit consisting of
(i) $2,455.36 in cash, without interest and less applicable
withholding tax, and (ii) 5.5089 shares of CoStar
common stock, for each share of Series A Preferred Stock
that they own immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger, unless they exercise and perfect their appraisal rights
under the DGCL. The per share consideration for Series A
Preferred Stock represents the common stock equivalent
consideration for each share of Series A Preferred Stock,
as provided pursuant to the terms of the Series A
Certificate. CoStar will not issue fractional shares of CoStar
common stock in the merger. As a result, holders of LoopNet
common stock and Series A Preferred Stock will receive cash
for any fractional share of CoStar common stock that they would
otherwise be entitled to receive in the merger. After the merger
is completed, holders of LoopNet common stock and Series A
Preferred Stock will have only the right to receive this
consideration, and will no longer have any rights as LoopNet
stockholders, including voting or other rights.
As discussed in this proxy statement/prospectus under the
heading The Voting Agreement Contingent
Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders
of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock have
delivered contingent conversion notices to LoopNet pursuant to
which such shares will be converted into LoopNet common stock
immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the completion of the
merger.
Treatment
of LoopNet Options and Restricted Stock Units; Employee Matters
(see page 68)
The merger agreement contains provisions relating to the
benefits that LoopNets employees (including executive
officers) and non-employee directors will receive in connection
with and following the merger. In particular, under the merger
agreement:
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At the effective time of the merger, each LoopNet stock option,
whether or not vested or exercisable, will be canceled and
LoopNet will pay each holder of any such option an amount of
cash and/or
shares of CoStar common stock as described under The
Merger Agreement Treatment of LoopNet Options and
Restricted Stock Units.
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At the effective time of the merger, each LoopNet restricted
stock unit, whether or not vested or exercisable, will be
canceled and LoopNet will pay each holder of any such restricted
stock unit an amount of cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock as described under The
Merger Agreement Treatment of LoopNet Options and
Restricted Stock Units.
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For one year after the merger, CoStar has agreed to provide the
LoopNet employees who remain in the employment of the surviving
corporation with base pay and benefits (excluding equity-based
compensation) which are substantially comparable, in the
aggregate, to that provided by LoopNet as of the effective time;
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CoStar has agreed to provide LoopNets employees with
credit for their service to LoopNet for purposes of any
compensation
and/or
benefit program, policy or arrangement maintained by CoStar or
any of its subsidiaries in which LoopNets employees become
participants; and
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CoStar has agreed to provide LoopNets employees with
certain minimum severance benefits should they be terminated
under certain circumstances.
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Voting
Agreement (see page 85)
In connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement, LoopNets directors and certain of
LoopNets executive officers and significant stockholders
entered into a voting agreement with
7
CoStar and LoopNet and have agreed, in their capacities as
LoopNet stockholders, to vote all shares of LoopNets
capital stock beneficially owned by them in favor of adoption of
the merger agreement and any related proposal in furtherance
thereof, and against any proposal made in opposition to the
merger, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of the
voting agreement. As of the record date, the directors,
executive officers and significant stockholders who signed the
voting agreement beneficially owned approximately 32% of the
total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock
(including the shares underlying the Series A Preferred
Stock but excluding shares issuable upon exercise of options
held by such stockholders). More than 50% of the outstanding
shares of LoopNets common stock (including the shares
underlying the Series A Preferred Stock) must vote for the
merger for it to be approved.
Pursuant to the voting agreement, all holders of Series A
Preferred Stock have delivered a contingent conversion notice to
LoopNet. Under the terms of such notices, all outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock will be converted into LoopNet
common stock immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the
completion of the merger. Based on the $6.72 conversion price of
the Series A Preferred Stock, each share of Series A
Preferred Stock will be converted into 148.80952 shares of
LoopNet common stock. The voting agreement also provides for
certain waivers and consents granted by the signing directors,
executive officers and significant stockholders to LoopNet in
connection with their rights under the Series A
Certificate, which are described under The
Merger Certain Terms of the LoopNets
Series A Preferred Stock.
The voting agreement will terminate automatically upon
termination of the merger agreement in accordance with its
terms. As long as the voting agreement remains in effect,
approximately 32% of the total outstanding shares of
LoopNets common stock will be voted in favor of adoption
of the merger agreement. See The Voting Agreement.
The
Special Meeting; LoopNet Stockholders Entitled to Vote; Required
Vote (see page 33)
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Place, date and time. The special meeting will
be held at 9:00 am local time, on July 11, 2011, at
185 Berry Street, San Francisco, CA 94017.
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LoopNet stockholders entitled to vote. You can
vote at the special meeting all of the shares of LoopNet common
stock and Series A Preferred Stock you own of record as of
the close of business on June 1, 2011, which is the record
date for the special meeting. If you own shares that are
registered in the name of someone else, such as a broker, you
need to direct that person to vote those shares or obtain an
authorization from them and vote the shares yourself at the
meeting. On the record date, there were 33,207,916 shares
of LoopNet common stock outstanding and 50,000 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock outstanding, convertible into
7,440,476 shares of LoopNet common stock.
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Required vote. The adoption of the merger
agreement requires the affirmative vote of the holders of a
majority of the outstanding shares of LoopNets common
stock and Series A Preferred Stock at the close of business
on the record date, voting together as a single class on an
as-converted basis (i.e., the Stockholder Approval). A
failure to vote or a vote to abstain has the same effect as a
vote AGAINST adoption of the merger agreement.
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Procedure for voting. You can vote shares you
hold of record by attending the special meeting and voting in
person, or you can grant a proxy for your shares by mailing the
enclosed proxy card, or by telephone or over the Internet. If
your shares of common stock are held in street name
by your broker, you should instruct your broker on how to vote
your shares using the instructions provided by your broker. If
you do not instruct your broker to vote your shares, your shares
will not be voted.
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How to revoke your proxy. You may revoke your
proxy at any time before the vote is taken at the meeting. To
revoke your proxy, you must either advise LoopNets
Secretary in writing, deliver a proxy dated after the date of
the proxy you wish to revoke, or attend the meeting and vote
your shares in person. Merely attending the special meeting will
not constitute revocation of your proxy. If you have instructed
your broker to vote your shares, you must follow the directions
provided by your broker to change those instructions.
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8
Recommendation
of the LoopNet Board of Directors (see page 41)
The Board, by unanimous vote, has determined that it is
advisable and in the best interests of LoopNet and its
stockholders to consummate the merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement, and unanimously recommends
that stockholders vote FOR the proposal to adopt the merger
agreement, FOR the approval, by advisory vote, of the change in
control severance payments and FOR the proposal to adjourn the
special meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit
additional proxies.
LoopNets
Reasons for the Merger (see page 41)
The Board considered a number of factors in making its
determination that the merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable and in the
best interests of LoopNet and its stockholders, including the
following:
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the merger consideration to be received by LoopNets common
stockholders, including the fact that this price represented a
premium of approximately 31% to the closing price of LoopNet
common stock on April 26, 2011, the last day prior to the
Boards approval of the proposed merger, and premiums of
approximately 32% and 39.5%, respectively, to the one-month and
two-month trailing average closing prices of LoopNet common
stock as of April 26, 2011;
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the market and execution risks associated with LoopNets
recently adopted four-year strategic plan and the Boards
judgment that the premium reflected in the merger consideration
reflected fair compensation for the loss of the potential
stockholder benefits that could be realized if that plan were
successfully executed;
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the fact that a large portion of the merger consideration will
be paid in cash, giving LoopNet stockholders an opportunity to
immediately realize certain value for a significant portion of
their investment;
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the opportunity, at least to a limited extent, for LoopNet
stockholders to participate in any future earnings or growth of
the combined company and future appreciation in the value of
CoStar common stock following the merger should they decide to
retain the CoStar common stock payable in the merger;
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the Boards judgment that CoStar was the most probable
buyer and had the substantial resources needed for a potential
merger to succeed, and the benefits that LoopNet and its
advisors were able to obtain as a result of extensive
negotiations with CoStar, including a significant increase in
CoStars bid from the beginning of the process to the end
of the negotiations;
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Evercores opinion that, as of the date of the opinion and
based on and subject to assumptions made, matters considered and
limitations on the scope of review undertaken by Evercore as set
forth therein, the merger consideration was fair, from a
financial point of view, to the holders of the shares of LoopNet
common stock entitled to receive such merger consideration. The
Evercore opinion is more fully described in the subsection
entitled The Merger Opinion of LoopNets
Financial Advisor The full text of the opinion is attached
to this proxy statement/prospectus as Annex C;
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the terms of the merger agreement, including the
$51.6 million termination fee payable by CoStar in certain
circumstances upon termination of the merger agreement if
necessary antitrust approval is not obtained, and LoopNets
ability to respond to a competing proposal that the Board
determines is a superior proposal; and
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the closing conditions included in the merger agreement,
including the absence of any financing condition, and the
likelihood that the merger would be completed.
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The Board also identified and considered a number of
countervailing factors and risks to LoopNet and its stockholders
relating to the merger and the merger agreement, including the
following:
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the fact that LoopNet stockholders would not have the
opportunity to continue participating in LoopNets
potential upside as an independent company;
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9
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the fact that, because LoopNets stockholders will be
receiving primarily cash for their stock, they will receive only
limited compensation for any increase in the value of LoopNet or
CoStar either during the pre-closing period or following the
closing;
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the fact that because the stock portion of the merger
consideration is a fixed exchange ratio of shares of CoStar
common stock to LoopNet common stock, LoopNet common and
preferred stockholders could be adversely affected by a decrease
in the trading price of CoStar common stock during the pendency
of the merger, and the fact that the merger agreement does not
provide LoopNet with a price-based termination right or other
similar protection, such as a collar, with respect
to CoStars stock price;
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the possibility that the merger may not be completed and the
potential adverse consequences to LoopNet if the merger is not
completed;
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the limitations imposed in the merger agreement on the conduct
of LoopNets business during the pre-closing period, its
ability to solicit and respond to competing proposals and the
ability of the Board to change or withdraw its recommendation of
the merger;
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the fact that while the approval of the adoption of the merger
agreement by LoopNets stockholders is required under the
merger agreement and the DGCL, approximately 32% of the total
outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock (including the
shares underlying the Series A Preferred Stock), have
committed to vote in favor of such adoption pursuant to the
voting agreement;
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the fact that the merger is expected to be a taxable transaction
to LoopNet stockholders;
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potential conflicts of interest of LoopNets directors and
executive officers; and
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the additional risks described in the section entitled
Risk Factors.
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Opinion
of LoopNets Financial Advisor (see page 44 and
Annex C)
The Board received an opinion, dated April 27, 2011, from
Evercore, that, as of that date and based on and subject to
assumptions made, matters considered and limitations on the
scope of review undertaken by Evercore as set forth therein, the
merger consideration was fair, from a financial point of view,
to the holders of the shares of LoopNet common stock entitled to
receive such consideration. The full text of Evercores
written opinion, which sets forth, among other things, the
procedures followed, assumptions made, matters considered and
limitations on the scope of review undertaken by Evercore in
rendering its opinion is attached as Annex C to this proxy
statement/prospectus. The opinion was directed to the Board and
addresses only the fairness, from a financial point of view, of
the merger consideration to the holders of shares of LoopNet
common stock entitled to receive such consideration. The opinion
does not address any other aspect of the proposed merger and
does not constitute a recommendation to the Board or to any
other persons in respect of the proposed merger, including as to
how any holder of shares of LoopNet common stock should vote or
act in respect of the proposed merger.
Financing
(see page 87)
On April 27, 2011, CoStar entered into a debt commitment
letter with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A., which provides for a fully committed term loan of
$415.0 million and a $50.0 million revolving credit
facility, of which $37.5 million is committed, which will
be available, subject to customary conditions, to fund the cash
consideration for the merger and related fees and costs and the
ongoing working capital needs of CoStar and its subsidiaries
following the merger. CoStar has represented that, with the
aggregate proceeds of this debt financing and CoStars
available cash, it will have sufficient funds at closing to fund
the payment of the cash merger consideration. The merger
agreement does not contain any financing condition. For a more
complete description of CoStars debt financing for the
merger, see the section entitled Debt Financing.
Under the merger agreement, LoopNet has agreed to allow CoStar
and its financing sources a period of 20 consecutive business
days to market the debt financing. For details on this marketing
period and other details related to financing, see the section
entitled The Merger Agreement Financing.
10
Stock
Ownership of LoopNet Directors and Executive Officers
As of the close of business on the record date, the directors
and executive officers of LoopNet were deemed to beneficially
own 15,875,467 shares of LoopNet common stock, which
represented 36.5% of the shares of LoopNet common stock
outstanding on that date.
Interests
of Executive Officers and Directors of LoopNet in the Merger
(see page 55)
You should be aware that some of LoopNets directors and
executive officers have interests in the merger that are
different from, or are in addition to, the interests of
LoopNets stockholders generally. The Board was aware of
these interests and considered them, among other matters, when
approving the merger agreement and recommending that LoopNet
stockholders vote to adopt the merger agreement.
Each of LoopNets executive officers and non-employee
directors holds equity awards. Pursuant to the terms of the
applicable LoopNet equity plan and agreements, and subject to
the terms of the merger agreement, all such equity awards held
by LoopNets executive officers and non-employee directors
will become fully vested on the date of the closing of the
merger and will be canceled in exchange for cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock, depending on the type of award
and the exercise price of the award, if any. In addition, each
of LoopNets executive officers has an agreement with
LoopNet that provides for severance benefits, in the form of
cash, health benefits and accelerated vesting of equity, if the
executives employment is terminated in connection with
this transaction under certain circumstances. CoStar has also
agreed to continue certain indemnification agreements for
directors and officers of LoopNet.
Listing
of CoStar Common Stock and Delisting and Deregistration of
LoopNet Common Stock (see page 65)
CoStar will be required to notify Nasdaq of the listing of the
shares of CoStar common stock issued in the merger. If the
merger is completed, LoopNet common stock will no longer be
listed on Nasdaq and will be deregistered under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the Exchange Act),
and LoopNet will no longer file periodic reports with the SEC.
Appraisal
Rights (see page 107)
If certain criteria are satisfied, the DGCL provides you with
the right to seek an appraisal of your shares, provided that you
perfect those rights in the manner provided for in the DGCL.
This means that if you are not satisfied with the amount you are
receiving in the merger, you are entitled to have the value of
your shares determined by a Delaware court and to receive
payment based on that valuation, subject to compliance with the
required procedures for exercising such rights. The amount you
ultimately receive in an appraisal proceeding may be more than,
the same as or less than the amount you would be entitled to
receive under the terms of the merger agreement.
LoopNets
and CoStars Stock Price (see page 24)
Shares of LoopNets common stock are listed on Nasdaq under
the trading symbol LOOP. On April 26, 2011, the
day prior to the Boards approval of the proposed merger,
LoopNets common stock closed at $14.31 per share. On
June 1, 2011, which was the last practicable trading day
before this proxy statement/prospectus was printed,
LoopNets common stock closed at $18.35 per share.
Shares of CoStars common stock are listed on Nasdaq under
the trading symbol CSGP. On June 1, 2011, which
was the last practicable trading day before this proxy
statement/prospectus was printed, CoStars common stock
closed at $61.02 per share.
11
Conditions
to Completion of the Merger (see page 79)
Mutual Conditions. Each partys
obligation to complete the merger is subject to the satisfaction
or waiver of various conditions, including the following:
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the receipt of the Stockholder Approval;
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the absence of any injunctions or other legal prohibitions
preventing the consummation of the merger;
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the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the
HSR Act and the obtaining of any other approvals or clearances
required to consummate the merger with respect to any other
antitrust laws; and
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the effectiveness of the
Form S-4
in which this proxy statement/prospectus is included as a
prospectus and the lack of any stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the
Form S-4
or pending or threatened SEC proceedings to effect a stop order.
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CoStar Conditions. CoStars obligation to
complete the merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of
additional conditions, including the following:
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the absence of any pending suit, action or proceeding by a
governmental authority which seeks to make illegal, prevent or
otherwise restrain the consummation of the merger, or that,
individually or in the aggregate, is reasonably expected to
impose a substantial detriment (as defined in the section
entitled The Merger Regulatory Matters);
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the absence of injunctions or other legal prohibitions making
illegal or preventing or otherwise restraining the consummation
of the merger or imposing, or that, individually or in the
aggregate, are reasonably expected to impose a substantial
detriment;
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the accuracy of LoopNets representations and warranties in
the merger agreement to varying standards depending on the
representation and warranty;
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LoopNets performance in all material respects of its
obligations under the merger agreement;
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the delivery to CoStar of an officers certificate from
LoopNet confirming that the conditions described in the
immediately preceding two bullets have been satisfied; and
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the lack of general banking, stock market or credit market
limitations, suspensions and moratoria.
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LoopNet Conditions. LoopNets obligation
to complete the merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver
of additional conditions, including the following:
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the accuracy of CoStars representations and warranties in
the merger agreement, to varying standards depending on the
representation and warranty;
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CoStars and merger subs performance in all material
respects of their obligations under the merger
agreement; and
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the delivery to LoopNet of an officers certificate from
CoStar confirming that the conditions described in the
immediately preceding two bullets have been satisfied.
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Expected
Timing of the Merger
LoopNet and CoStar are working to complete the merger as quickly
as possible after the special meeting, and anticipate that the
merger will be completed by the end of 2011. In order to
complete the merger, LoopNet must obtain the required
Stockholder Approval, and a number of other closing conditions
under the merger agreement must be satisfied or waived. See
The Merger Agreement Conditions of the
Merger.
Regulatory
Matters (see page 63)
Under the HSR Act, the merger may not be consummated until
notification and report forms have been filed with the Antitrust
Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal
Trade Commission by LoopNet and CoStar, and the applicable
waiting period has expired or been terminated. LoopNet and
CoStar
12
filed the notification and report forms under the HSR Act with
the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division on
May 31, 2011, as a result of which the waiting period would
be expected to expire by June 30, 2011, unless otherwise
terminated or extended by the antitrust authorities.
LoopNet
is Prohibited From Soliciting Other Offers (see
page 74)
The merger agreement contains restrictions on LoopNets
ability to solicit or engage in discussions or negotiations with
any third party regarding a proposal to acquire a significant
interest in LoopNet. Notwithstanding these restrictions, under
certain limited circumstances, the Board may respond to an
unsolicited competing proposal and terminate the merger
agreement to enter into an acquisition agreement with respect to
a superior proposal (as defined in the section
entitled The Merger Agreement No Solicitation;
Changes in Recommendations).
Termination
of the Merger Agreement (see page 81)
The merger agreement can be terminated under certain
circumstances, including:
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by mutual written consent of LoopNet and CoStar;
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by either CoStar or LoopNet, if:
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the merger has not been completed by January 31, 2012, or
such later date as provided pursuant to the merger agreement
(such date being the end date, as described in
further detail in the section entitled The Merger
Agreement Termination; Termination Fees;
Expenses), except that this right is not available to any
party whose breach of the merger agreement primarily caused the
failure to complete the merger by such date;
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there is a final and nonappealable legal restraint or
prohibition in effect that prevents the completion of the
merger; or
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the Stockholder Approval is not obtained at the special meeting
or any postponement or adjournment thereof;
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the Board makes an adverse recommendation change (as defined in
the section entitled The Merger Agreement
Termination; Termination Fees; Expenses);
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after an alternative acquisition proposal has been received, the
Board fails to publicly reaffirm its recommendation that the
stockholders adopt the merger agreement within seven business
days after a request to do so by CoStar;
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the Board fails to publicly recommend against a publicly
announced alternative acquisition proposal after a request to do
so by CoStar by the later of five business days before the
special stockholder meeting and five business days after
CoStars request (or such shorter period as may exist
between the date of the alternative acquisition proposal and the
date of the special meeting);
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LoopNet materially breaches its obligations under the merger
agreement related to non-solicitation and other offers;
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LoopNet breaches any of its representations or warranties or
fails to perform any covenant or obligation in the merger
agreement in such a way as to cause the failure of the closing
conditions relating thereto, and such failure cannot be cured by
the end date, provided that, at the time of notice of
termination, neither CoStar nor merger sub is in material breach
of its or their obligations under the merger agreement;
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LoopNet willfully fails to perform any of its covenants or
agreements set forth in the merger agreement following an
alternative acquisition proposal; or
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there is a final and nonappealable legal restraint or
prohibition imposing a substantial detriment.
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13
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prior to obtaining the Stockholder Approval, the requirements of
a superior proposal termination as described in the section
The Merger Agreement No Solicitation; Changes
in Recommendations have been fully satisfied and LoopNet
pays to CoStar the $25.8 million termination fee described
below; or
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if CoStar breaches any of its representations or warranties or
fails to perform any covenant or obligation in the merger
agreement in such a way as to cause the failure of the closing
conditions relating thereto, and such failure cannot be cured by
the end date, provided that, at the time the termination
notice is delivered, LoopNet is not in material breach of its
obligations under the merger agreement.
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Termination
Fees (see page 81)
LoopNet has agreed to pay CoStar a termination fee of
$25.8 million if the merger agreement is terminated:
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by CoStar, if (i) the Board makes an adverse recommendation
change, (ii) after an alternative acquisition proposal has
been received, the Board fails to publicly reaffirm its
recommendation that stockholders adopt the merger agreement
within seven business days after a request to do so by Costar,
(iii) the Board fails to publicly recommend against a
publicly announced alternative acquisition proposal after a
request to do so by CoStar by the later of five business day
before the special stockholder meeting and five business days
after CoStars request (or such shorter period as may exist
between the date of the alternative acquisition proposal and the
date of the special meeting), or (iv) LoopNet materially
breaches its obligations under the merger agreement related to
non-solicitation and other offers;
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by CoStar, if LoopNet, following an alternative acquisition
proposal, willfully fails to perform any covenant or agreement
set forth in the merger agreement;
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by LoopNet, when CoStar could have terminated the merger
agreement for any reason described above, unless LoopNet has the
right to terminate the merger agreement as described in the next
bullet;
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by LoopNet, in connection with a superior proposal termination;
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by CoStar or LoopNet if the merger has not been consummated by
the end date and prior to such termination, an acquisition
proposal was publicly announced or otherwise communicated to the
Board or its stockholders and within 12 months following
the date of such termination, LoopNet enters into a definitive
agreement with respect to, or consummates, an alternative
acquisition proposal; or
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by CoStar or LoopNet if the special meeting has concluded
(including any adjournment or postponement thereof) and the
Stockholder Approval has not been obtained and (A) prior to
such termination, an alternative acquisition proposal was
publicly announced or otherwise communicated to the Board or its
stockholders or (B) within 12 months following the
date of such termination, LoopNet has entered into a definitive
agreement with respect to an alternative acquisition proposal
that provides for consideration to LoopNet stockholders (whether
cash or otherwise) having an aggregate value that is greater
than the merger consideration to be received by LoopNet
stockholders under the merger agreement or (C) within
12 months following the date of such termination a tender
offer or other alternative acquisition proposal is consummated
as a result of which LoopNet stockholders are entitled to
receive consideration (whether cash or otherwise) having an
aggregate value that is greater than the merger consideration to
be received by LoopNet stockholders under the merger agreement.
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CoStar has agreed to pay LoopNet a termination fee of
$51.6 million if the merger agreement is terminated by
either party, in certain circumstances and subject to certain
conditions, in the event necessary antitrust approval is not
obtained.
14
If LoopNet fails promptly to pay any termination fee due to
CoStar, LoopNet will also pay the documented
out-of-pocket
costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees)
incurred by CoStar or merger sub in connection with a legal
action to enforce the merger agreement that results in a
judgment against LoopNet for the unpaid termination fee. If
CoStar fails promptly to pay any termination fee due to LoopNet,
CoStar will also pay the documented
out-of-pocket
costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees)
incurred by LoopNet in connection with a legal action to enforce
the merger agreement that results in a judgment against CoStar
or merger sub for the unpaid termination fee. Except as
described above, all costs and expenses incurred in connection
with the merger agreement will be paid by the party incurring
the cost or expense.
Specific
Performance; Remedies (see page 84)
Under the merger agreement, each of CoStar and LoopNet is
entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of
the merger agreement or to enforce specifically the performance
of its terms and provisions, in addition to any other remedy to
which they are entitled at law or in equity.
Material
United States Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Transaction
(see page 61)
The merger is expected to be a taxable transaction for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly,
U.S. Holders (as defined under The Merger
Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the
Merger) would recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal
income tax purposes on the exchange of their LoopNet common
stock for cash and shares of CoStar common stock in an amount
equal to the difference, if any, between (i) the sum of the
amount of cash (including cash received in lieu of a fractional
share of CoStar common stock) and the fair market value of the
CoStar common stock received on the date of the exchange and
(ii) the U.S. Holders tax basis in the LoopNet
common stock surrendered in the exchange.
The U.S. federal income tax consequences described above
may not apply to all holders of LoopNet common stock, including
certain holders specifically referred to on page 61 of this
proxy statement/prospectus. Your tax consequences will depend on
your own situation. You should consult your tax advisor to
determine the particular tax consequences of the merger to
you.
Accounting
Treatment (see page 65)
In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in
the United States, CoStar will account for the merger using the
acquisition method of accounting for business combinations.
Procedure
for Receiving Merger Consideration (see page 67)
CoStar will appoint an exchange agent to coordinate the payment
of the cash and stock merger consideration following the merger.
If you own shares of LoopNet common stock that are held in
street name by your broker, you will receive
instructions from your broker as to how to surrender your
street name shares and receive cash and stock for
those shares. If you hold certificated shares, the exchange
agent will send you written instructions for surrendering your
certificates and obtaining the cash and stock merger
consideration at or about the date on which LoopNet completes
the merger. Do not send in your share certificates now.
Comparison
of Rights of CoStar Stockholders and LoopNet Stockholders (see
page 101)
LoopNet stockholders, whose rights are currently governed by the
LoopNet amended and restated certificate of incorporation, the
LoopNet amended and restated bylaws and Delaware law, will, upon
completion of the merger, become stockholders of CoStar and
their rights will be governed by the CoStar restated certificate
of incorporation, the CoStar amended and restated bylaws and
Delaware law. As a result, LoopNet stockholders will have
different rights once they become CoStar stockholders due to
differences between the governing documents of LoopNet and
CoStar. These differences are described in detail in the section
titled Comparison of Stockholder Rights.
15
Litigation
Relating to the Merger (see page 66)
To date, LoopNet, the Board
and/or
CoStar are named as defendants in two purported class action
lawsuits (referred to as the stockholder actions in this proxy
statement/prospectus) brought by alleged LoopNet stockholders
challenging LoopNets proposed merger with CoStar. The
stockholder actions allege, among other things, that
(i) each member of the Board breached his fiduciary duties
to LoopNet and its stockholders in authorizing the sale of
LoopNet to CoStar, (ii) the merger does not maximize value
to LoopNet stockholders, (iii) LoopNet and CoStar have made
incomplete or materially misleading disclosures about the
proposed transaction and (iv) LoopNet and CoStar aided and
abetted the breaches of fiduciary duty allegedly committed by
the members of the Board. The stockholder actions seek class
action certification and equitable relief, including an
injunction against consummation of the merger. The parties have
stipulated to the consolidation of the actions, and to permit
the filing of a consolidated complaint. A consolidated complaint
has not yet been filed.
Questions
If you have additional questions about the merger or other
matters discussed in this proxy statement/prospectus after
reading this proxy statement/prospectus, you should contact
LoopNets proxy solicitation agent:
199 Water Street, 26th Floor
New York, NY
10038-3560
Banks and Brokers Call
(212) 440-9800
All Others Call Toll Free
(866) 785-7395
16
SELECTED
SUMMARY HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA OF
COSTAR
The following tables present selected historical consolidated
financial and operating data of CoStar as of the dates and for
the periods provided. The selected financial data of CoStar for
each of the years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010
and as of December 31, 2009 and 2010 are derived from
CoStars audited consolidated financial statements and
related notes contained in its Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010, which is incorporated
by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus. The selected
financial data of CoStar for each of the years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2007 and as of December 31,
2006, 2007 and 2008 have been derived from CoStars audited
consolidated financial statements for such years, which have not
been incorporated into this proxy statement/prospectus by
reference. The selected financial data of CoStar as of and for
the quarterly period ended March 31, 2010 and 2011 are
derived from CoStars unaudited condensed consolidated
financial statements and related notes contained in its
Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011, which is
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus,
which include, in the opinion of CoStars management team,
all normal and recurring adjustments that are considered
necessary for the fair presentation of the results for the
period and dates presented.
The information in the following table is only a summary and is
not necessarily indicative of the results of future operations
of CoStar or the combined company. You should read the following
information together with CoStars audited and unaudited
consolidated financial statements, including the notes thereto
and Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations contained in
CoStars Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and CoStars
Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011, which are
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus.
See Where You Can Find Additional Information
beginning on page 111 of this proxy statement/prospectus.
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Year Ended December 31,
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Three Months Ended March 31,
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2006
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2007
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2008
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2009
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2010
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2010
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2011
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(In thousands, except per share data)
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Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
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Revenues
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$
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158,889
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$
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192,805
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$
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212,428
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$
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209,659
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$
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226,260
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$
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55,093
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$
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59,618
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Cost of revenues
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56,136
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76,704
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73,408
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73,714
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83,599
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21,200
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22,566
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Gross margin
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102,753
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116,101
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139,020
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135,945
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142,661
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33,893
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37,052
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Operating expenses
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88,672
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98,249
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99,232
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104,110
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119,886
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28,791
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29,956
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
14,081
|
|
|
|
17,852
|
|
|
|
39,788
|
|
|
|
31,835
|
|
|
|
22,775
|
|
|
|
5,102
|
|
|
|
7,096
|
|
Interest and other income, net
|
|
|
6,845
|
|
|
|
8,045
|
|
|
|
4,914
|
|
|
|
1,253
|
|
|
|
735
|
|
|
|
238
|
|
|
|
202
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before income taxes
|
|
|
20,926
|
|
|
|
25,897
|
|
|
|
44,702
|
|
|
|
33,088
|
|
|
|
23,510
|
|
|
|
5,340
|
|
|
|
7,298
|
|
Income tax expense, net
|
|
|
8,516
|
|
|
|
9,946
|
|
|
|
20,079
|
|
|
|
14,395
|
|
|
|
10,221
|
|
|
|
2,451
|
|
|
|
2,766
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
$
|
12,410
|
|
|
$
|
15,951
|
|
|
$
|
24,623
|
|
|
$
|
18,693
|
|
|
$
|
13,289
|
|
|
$
|
2,889
|
|
|
$
|
4,532
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per share basic
|
|
$
|
0.66
|
|
|
$
|
0.84
|
|
|
$
|
1.27
|
|
|
$
|
0.95
|
|
|
$
|
0.65
|
|
|
$
|
0.14
|
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per share diluted
|
|
$
|
0.65
|
|
|
$
|
0.82
|
|
|
$
|
1.26
|
|
|
$
|
0.94
|
|
|
$
|
0.64
|
|
|
$
|
0.14
|
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding basic
|
|
|
18,751
|
|
|
|
19,044
|
|
|
|
19,372
|
|
|
|
19,780
|
|
|
|
20,330
|
|
|
|
20,249
|
|
|
|
20,531
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding diluted
|
|
|
19,165
|
|
|
|
19,404
|
|
|
|
19,550
|
|
|
|
19,925
|
|
|
|
20,707
|
|
|
|
20,602
|
|
|
|
20,965
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
As of March 31,
|
|
|
2006
|
|
2007
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
|
2010
|
|
2010
|
|
2011
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments
|
|
$
|
158,148
|
|
|
$
|
187,426
|
|
|
$
|
224,590
|
|
|
$
|
255,698
|
|
|
$
|
239,316
|
|
|
$
|
218,455
|
|
|
$
|
325,023
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
154,606
|
|
|
|
167,441
|
|
|
|
183,347
|
|
|
|
203,660
|
|
|
|
188,279
|
|
|
|
168,920
|
|
|
|
261,919
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
275,437
|
|
|
|
321,843
|
|
|
|
334,384
|
|
|
|
404,579
|
|
|
|
439,648
|
|
|
|
407,864
|
|
|
|
506,479
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
25,327
|
|
|
|
40,038
|
|
|
|
30,963
|
|
|
|
45,573
|
|
|
|
58,146
|
|
|
|
45,505
|
|
|
|
117,081
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
250,110
|
|
|
|
281,805
|
|
|
|
303,421
|
|
|
|
359,006
|
|
|
|
381,502
|
|
|
|
362,359
|
|
|
|
389,398
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of December 31,
|
|
As of March 31,
|
|
|
2006
|
|
2007
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
|
2010
|
|
2010
|
|
2011
|
|
Other Operating Data (unaudited):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Number of subscription client sites
|
|
|
13,257
|
|
|
|
14,467
|
|
|
|
15,920
|
|
|
|
16,020
|
|
|
|
16,781
|
|
|
|
15,995
|
|
|
|
17,267
|
|
Millions of properties in database
|
|
|
2.1
|
|
|
|
2.7
|
|
|
|
3.2
|
|
|
|
3.6
|
|
|
|
4.0
|
|
|
|
3.7
|
|
|
|
4.0
|
|
18
SELECTED
SUMMARY HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA OF
LOOPNET
The following tables present selected historical consolidated
financial and operating data of LoopNet and as of the dates and
for the periods indicated. The selected financial data of
LoopNet for each of the years ended December 31, 2008, 2009
and 2010 and as of December 31, 2009 and 2010 are derived
from LoopNets audited consolidated financial statements
and related notes contained in its Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010, which is incorporated
by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus. The selected
financial data of LoopNet for each of the years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2007 and as of December 31,
2006, 2007 and 2008 have been derived from LoopNet audited
consolidated financial statements for such years, which have not
been incorporated into this proxy statement/prospectus by
reference. The selected financial condition data of LoopNet as
of March 31, 2011 and the selected income statement data of
LoopNet for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2010 and
2011 are derived from LoopNets unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in
its Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011, which is
incorporated by reference into this proxy statement/prospectus.
The selected financial condition data of LoopNet as of
March 31, 2010 is derived from LoopNets unaudited
condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes
contained in its Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2010, which has
not been incorporated into this proxy statement/prospectus by
reference. LoopNets management believes that the
companys interim unaudited financial statements have been
prepared on a basis consistent with its audited financial
statements and include all normal and recurring adjustments
necessary for a fair presentation of the results for each
interim period.
The information in the following table is only a summary and is
not indicative of the results of future operations of LoopNet.
You should read the following information together with
LoopNets Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010, LoopNets
Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011 and the other
information that LoopNet has filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, which is referred to in this proxy
statement/prospectus as the SEC, and incorporated by reference
into this proxy statement/prospectus. See Where You Can
Find Additional Information beginning on page 111 of
this proxy statement/prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Statements of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
48,411
|
|
|
$
|
70,729
|
|
|
$
|
86,074
|
|
|
$
|
76,487
|
|
|
$
|
78,002
|
|
|
$
|
18,822
|
|
|
$
|
20,713
|
|
Cost of revenue(1)
|
|
|
5,599
|
|
|
|
8,033
|
|
|
|
10,858
|
|
|
|
11,060
|
|
|
|
12,562
|
|
|
|
2,846
|
|
|
|
3,157
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross profit
|
|
|
42,812
|
|
|
|
62,696
|
|
|
|
75,216
|
|
|
|
65,427
|
|
|
|
65,440
|
|
|
|
15,976
|
|
|
|
17,556
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sales and marketing(1)
|
|
|
9,506
|
|
|
|
14,667
|
|
|
|
18,825
|
|
|
|
15,064
|
|
|
|
16,785
|
|
|
|
4,290
|
|
|
|
5,134
|
|
Technology and product development(1)
|
|
|
4,341
|
|
|
|
6,427
|
|
|
|
9,075
|
|
|
|
10,707
|
|
|
|
12,231
|
|
|
|
2,949
|
|
|
|
3,659
|
|
General and administrative(1)
|
|
|
7,697
|
|
|
|
11,997
|
|
|
|
17,773
|
|
|
|
20,677
|
|
|
|
15,693
|
|
|
|
4,371
|
|
|
|
4,924
|
|
Amortization of acquired intangible assets
|
|
|
106
|
|
|
|
256
|
|
|
|
966
|
|
|
|
1,191
|
|
|
|
2,083
|
|
|
|
445
|
|
|
|
641
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
21,650
|
|
|
|
33,347
|
|
|
|
46,639
|
|
|
|
47,639
|
|
|
|
46,792
|
|
|
|
12,055
|
|
|
|
14,358
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
21,162
|
|
|
|
29,349
|
|
|
|
28,577
|
|
|
|
17,788
|
|
|
|
18,648
|
|
|
|
3,921
|
|
|
|
3,198
|
|
Interest and other (expense) income, net
|
|
|
2,883
|
|
|
|
5,046
|
|
|
|
1,998
|
|
|
|
211
|
|
|
|
(2,461
|
)
|
|
|
(104
|
)
|
|
|
(317
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income before tax
|
|
|
24,045
|
|
|
|
34,395
|
|
|
|
30,575
|
|
|
|
17,999
|
|
|
|
16,187
|
|
|
|
3,817
|
|
|
|
2,881
|
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
8,550
|
|
|
|
13,268
|
|
|
|
12,297
|
|
|
|
6,246
|
|
|
|
461
|
|
|
|
1,417
|
|
|
|
1,038
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income
|
|
|
15,495
|
|
|
|
21,127
|
|
|
|
18,278
|
|
|
|
11,753
|
|
|
|
15,726
|
|
|
|
2,400
|
|
|
|
1,843
|
|
Convertible preferred stock accretion of discount
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(240
|
)
|
|
|
(339
|
)
|
|
|
(85
|
)
|
|
|
(85
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income applicable to common stockholders
|
|
$
|
15,495
|
|
|
$
|
21,127
|
|
|
$
|
18,278
|
|
|
$
|
11,513
|
|
|
$
|
15,387
|
|
|
$
|
2,315
|
|
|
$
|
1,758
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income per share applicable to common stockholders
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
0.42
|
|
|
$
|
0.55
|
|
|
$
|
0.51
|
|
|
$
|
0.28
|
|
|
$
|
0.38
|
|
|
$
|
0.06
|
|
|
$
|
0.04
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
0.40
|
|
|
$
|
0.52
|
|
|
$
|
0.49
|
|
|
$
|
0.27
|
|
|
$
|
0.36
|
|
|
$
|
0.05
|
|
|
$
|
0.04
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Stock-based compensation is allocated as follows: |
19
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of revenue
|
|
$
|
151
|
|
|
$
|
357
|
|
|
$
|
570
|
|
|
$
|
495
|
|
|
$
|
546
|
|
|
$
|
128
|
|
|
$
|
130
|
|
Sales and marketing
|
|
|
686
|
|
|
|
1,358
|
|
|
|
2,198
|
|
|
|
894
|
|
|
|
1,786
|
|
|
|
485
|
|
|
|
585
|
|
Technology and product development
|
|
|
195
|
|
|
|
600
|
|
|
|
1,311
|
|
|
|
2,298
|
|
|
|
2,680
|
|
|
|
682
|
|
|
|
801
|
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
421
|
|
|
|
1,180
|
|
|
|
1,855
|
|
|
|
3,140
|
|
|
|
3,220
|
|
|
|
827
|
|
|
|
994
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
1,453
|
|
|
$
|
3,495
|
|
|
$
|
5,934
|
|
|
$
|
6,827
|
|
|
$
|
8,232
|
|
|
$
|
2,122
|
|
|
$
|
2,510
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
As of March 31,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
|
|
$
|
89,028
|
|
|
$
|
107,889
|
|
|
$
|
64,587
|
|
|
$
|
129,011
|
|
|
$
|
92,285
|
|
|
$
|
118,527
|
|
|
$
|
97,335
|
|
Working capital
|
|
|
81,884
|
|
|
|
94,667
|
|
|
|
52,529
|
|
|
|
117,210
|
|
|
|
79,917
|
|
|
|
108,267
|
|
|
|
85,544
|
|
Total assets
|
|
|
100,205
|
|
|
|
137,359
|
|
|
|
108,210
|
|
|
|
174,249
|
|
|
|
171,990
|
|
|
|
176,743
|
|
|
|
176,825
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
10,202
|
|
|
|
15,506
|
|
|
|
15,759
|
|
|
|
14,747
|
|
|
|
18,765
|
|
|
|
15,581
|
|
|
|
18,605
|
|
Redeemable convertible preferred stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
48,207
|
|
|
|
48,546
|
|
|
|
48,291
|
|
|
|
48,631
|
|
Total shareholders equity
|
|
|
90,003
|
|
|
|
121,853
|
|
|
|
92,451
|
|
|
|
111,295
|
|
|
|
104,679
|
|
|
|
112,871
|
|
|
|
109,589
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31,
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash flow provided by operating activities
|
|
$
|
23,205
|
|
|
$
|
30,301
|
|
|
$
|
25,105
|
|
|
$
|
18,632
|
|
|
$
|
21,262
|
|
|
$
|
4,001
|
|
|
$
|
5,796
|
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
611
|
|
|
|
1,154
|
|
|
|
2,199
|
|
|
|
2,601
|
|
|
|
3,480
|
|
|
|
817
|
|
|
|
995
|
|
Capital expenditures
|
|
|
(665
|
)
|
|
|
(1,797
|
)
|
|
|
(1,319
|
)
|
|
|
(1,437
|
)
|
|
|
(1,197
|
)
|
|
|
(153
|
)
|
|
|
(900
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31,
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March
|
|
|
|
2006
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2010
|
|
|
2011
|
|
|
Other Operating Data (unaudited):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LoopNet registered members at end of period
|
|
|
1,766,508
|
|
|
|
2,567,729
|
|
|
|
3,251,260
|
|
|
|
3,925,534
|
|
|
|
4,626,973
|
|
|
|
4,121,906
|
|
|
|
4,833,200
|
|
LoopNet premium members at end of period
|
|
|
78,952
|
|
|
|
88,340
|
|
|
|
77,283
|
|
|
|
68,378
|
|
|
|
68,608
|
|
|
|
68,809
|
|
|
|
70,692
|
|
20
SELECTED
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONDENSED COMBINED FINANCIAL DATA
The following table sets forth selected unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial data of CoStar as of March 31,
2011 and for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011 and
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010. The pro forma
amounts in the table below are based on the historical
consolidated financial data and the notes thereto of CoStar and
LoopNet after giving effect to the merger, and after applying
the assumptions, reclassifications and adjustments described in
the accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial data.
The selected unaudited pro forma financial data in the table
below should be read in conjunction with the unaudited pro forma
condensed combined financial data and the accompanying
disclosures included elsewhere in this proxy
statement/prospectus and with the historical financial
statements and accompanying disclosures of CoStar and LoopNet,
which are incorporated by reference in this proxy
statement/prospectus. The selected unaudited pro forma condensed
combined financial data are provided for informational purposes
only and do not purport to represent what CoStars
financial position or results of operations would actually have
been had the merger occurred on those dates or to project
CoStars results of operations or financial position for
any future period. See CoStar and LoopNet Unaudited Pro
Forma Condensed Combined Financial Data beginning on
page 89 of this proxy statement/prospectus and Where
You Can Find Additional Information beginning on
page 111 of this proxy statement/prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Months Ended
|
|
|
|
Year Ended December 31, 2010
|
|
|
March 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands, except per share data)
|
|
|
Consolidated Statement of Operations Data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
$
|
304,262
|
|
|
$
|
80,331
|
|
Cost of revenues
|
|
|
96,161
|
|
|
|
25,723
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gross margin
|
|
|
208,101
|
|
|
|
54,608
|
|
Operating expenses
|
|
|
202,916
|
|
|
|
53,253
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from operations
|
|
|
5,185
|
|
|
|
1,355
|
|
Interest and other income (expense), net
|
|
|
(12,637
|
)
|
|
|
(2,844
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
(7,452
|
)
|
|
|
(1,489
|
)
|
Income tax benefit, net
|
|
|
(8,177
|
)
|
|
|
(863
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
725
|
|
|
$
|
(626
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share basic
|
|
$
|
0.03
|
|
|
$
|
(0.02
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss) per share diluted
|
|
$
|
0.03
|
|
|
$
|
(0.02
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding basic
|
|
|
26,628
|
|
|
|
26,829
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weighted average shares outstanding diluted
|
|
|
27,005
|
|
|
|
26,829
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of March 31, 2011
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:
|
|
|
|
|
Cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments
|
|
$
|
69,705
|
|
Working capital (deficit)
|
|
|
(384
|
)
|
Total assets
|
|
|
1,089,864
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
358,187
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
731,677
|
|
21
COMPARATIVE
HISTORICAL AND UNAUDITED PRO FORMA PER SHARE DATA
The following table sets forth selected historical per share
information of CoStar and LoopNet and unaudited pro forma
combined per share information after giving effect to the merger
under the acquisition method of accounting, assuming that
0.03702 of a share of CoStar common stock had been issued in
exchange for each outstanding share of LoopNet common stock,
other than excluded shares (which amount does not include the
$16.50 per share cash portion of the merger consideration). The
acquisition accounting is dependent upon certain valuations of
LoopNet assets and liabilities and other studies that have yet
to commence or progress to a stage where there is sufficient
information for a definitive measurement. Accordingly, the pro
forma adjustments reflect the assets and liabilities of LoopNet
at their preliminary estimated fair values. Differences between
these preliminary estimates and the final acquisition accounting
will occur and these differences could have a material impact on
the unaudited pro forma combined per share information set forth
in the following table.
In accordance with the requirements of the SEC, the pro forma
and pro forma equivalent per share information gives effect to
the merger as if the merger had been effective on
January 1, 2010, in the case of income from continuing
operations, and March 31, 2011, in the case of book value
per share data.
The unaudited CoStar pro forma combined per share information is
derived from, and should be read in conjunction with, the
unaudited pro forma condensed combined financial statements and
related notes included in this proxy statement/prospectus. The
historical per share information of CoStar and LoopNet is
derived from audited financial statements as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2010 and the unaudited condensed
consolidated financial statements as of and for the quarterly
period ended March 31, 2011. The unaudited pro forma
LoopNet per share equivalents are calculated by multiplying the
unaudited CoStar pro forma combined per share amounts by 0.03702.
Neither CoStar nor LoopNet has historically paid dividends.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, LoopNet is prohibited
from declaring or paying any dividends prior to completion of
the merger.
The unaudited pro forma combined per share information does not
purport to represent what the actual results of operations of
CoStar and LoopNet would have been had the companies been
combined during these periods or to project the future results
of operations that CoStar may achieve after the merger.
You should read this information in conjunction with the
selected historical financial data included elsewhere in this
proxy statement/prospectus, and the historical financial
statements of CoStar and LoopNet and related notes that have
been filed with the SEC, certain of which are incorporated in
this proxy statement/ prospectus by reference. See
Selected Summary Historical Financial and Operating Data
of CoStar, Selected Summary Historical Financial and
Operating Data of LoopNet and Where You Can Find
Additional Information beginning on pages 17, 19 and 111,
respectively, of this proxy statement/prospectus. The unaudited
CoStar pro forma combined per share information is derived from,
and should be read in conjunction with, the unaudited pro form
condensed combined financial statements and related notes
included
22
in this proxy statement/prospectus. See CoStar and
LoopNet Unaudited Pro Forma Condensed Combined Financial
Data beginning on page 89 of this proxy
statement/prospectus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of and for the
|
|
|
|
Year Ended
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
December 31, 2010
|
|
|
March 31, 2011
|
|
|
CoStar Historical
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per common share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from continuing operations basic
|
|
$
|
0.65
|
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
Income from continuing operations diluted
|
|
|
0.64
|
|
|
|
0.22
|
|
Book value
|
|
|
18.37
|
|
|
|
18.70
|
|
LoopNet Historical
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per common share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income from continuing operations basic
|
|
$
|
0.38
|
|
|
$
|
0.04
|
|
Income from continuing operations diluted
|
|
|
0.36
|
|
|
|
0.04
|
|
Book value
|
|
|
3.25
|
|
|
|
3.37
|
|
Unaudited CoStar Pro Forma Combined
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per common share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from continuing operations basic
|
|
$
|
0.03
|
|
|
$
|
(0.02
|
)
|
Income (loss) from continuing operations diluted
|
|
|
0.03
|
|
|
|
(0.02
|
)
|
Book value
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
26.98
|
|
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined LoopNet Equivalent
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per common share data:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) from continuing operations basic
|
|
$
|
0.00
|
|
|
$
|
(0.00
|
)
|
Income (loss) from continuing operations diluted
|
|
|
0.00
|
|
|
|
(0.00
|
)
|
Book value
|
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
|
1.00
|
|
23
COMPARATIVE
PER SHARE MARKET PRICE DATA
CoStar common stock is listed and traded on Nasdaq under the
symbol CSGP. LoopNet common stock is listed and
traded on Nasdaq under the symbol LOOP. The
following table sets forth, for the calendar quarters indicated,
(1) the high and low daily closing price per share of
CoStar common stock as reported on Nasdaq, and (2) the high
and low sales prices of LoopNet common stock as reported on
Nasdaq, in each case (other than with respect to the prices
reported for the calendar quarters ended March 31, 2011 and
thereafter) as reported in CoStars and LoopNets
respective Annual Reports on
Form 10-K
for the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31,
2009. On June 1, 2011, the last practicable trading day
prior to the date of this proxy statement/prospectus, there were
25,194,615 shares of CoStar common stock outstanding and
33,207,916 shares of LoopNet common stock outstanding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CoStar
|
|
LoopNet
|
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
High
|
|
Low
|
|
For the Calendar Quarter Ended:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2009
|
|
|
35.93
|
|
|
|
24.23
|
|
|
|
7.59
|
|
|
|
5.04
|
|
June 30, 2009
|
|
|
40.09
|
|
|
|
31.10
|
|
|
|
9.20
|
|
|
|
5.93
|
|
September 30, 2009
|
|
|
41.57
|
|
|
|
33.97
|
|
|
|
9.27
|
|
|
|
7.27
|
|
December 31, 2009
|
|
|
44.43
|
|
|
|
38.35
|
|
|
|
11.47
|
|
|
|
8.29
|
|
2010
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2010
|
|
|
42.97
|
|
|
|
38.22
|
|
|
|
11.86
|
|
|
|
8.86
|
|
June 30, 2010
|
|
|
45.95
|
|
|
|
38.80
|
|
|
|
12.72
|
|
|
|
8.50
|
|
September 30, 2010
|
|
|
49.53
|
|
|
|
37.66
|
|
|
|
12.95
|
|
|
|
9.73
|
|
December 31, 2010
|
|
|
57.75
|
|
|
|
48.86
|
|
|
|
13.08
|
|
|
|
10.38
|
|
2011
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, 2011
|
|
|
62.89
|
|
|
|
55.58
|
|
|
|
14.81
|
|
|
|
9.94
|
|
June 30, 2011 (through June 1, 2011)
|
|
|
72.84
|
|
|
|
59.96
|
|
|
|
18.95
|
|
|
|
13.11
|
|
The following table sets forth the closing sale price per share
of LoopNet common stock and CoStar common stock as of
April 27, 2011, the last trading day prior to the public
announcement of the proposed merger, and as of June 1,
2011, the most recent practicable trading day prior to the date
of this proxy statement/prospectus. The table also sets forth
the implied value of the merger consideration proposed for each
share of LoopNet common stock as of the same two dates. This
implied value was calculated by multiplying the closing sale
price of CoStar common stock on the relevant date by the
exchange ratio of 0.03702 and adding the per share cash
consideration, or $16.50 per share.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Value Per
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share of LoopNet
|
|
|
|
LoopNet Common Stock
|
|
|
CoStar Common Stock
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Common Stock
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April 27, 2011
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$
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14.37
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$
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61.38
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$
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18.77
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June 1, 2011
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$
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18.35
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$
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61.02
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$
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18.76
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The market value of the CoStar common stock to be issued in
exchange for shares of LoopNet common stock upon the completion
of the merger will not be known at the time of the LoopNet
special meeting. The above tables show only historical
comparisons. Because the market prices of CoStar common stock
and LoopNet common stock will likely fluctuate prior to the
merger, these comparisons may not provide
24
meaningful information to LoopNet stockholders in determining
whether to adopt the merger agreement. Stockholders are
encouraged to obtain current market quotations for CoStar common
stock and LoopNet common stock and to review carefully the other
information contained in this proxy statement/prospectus or
incorporated by reference in this proxy statement/prospectus.
See Where You Can Find Additional Information
beginning on page 111 of this proxy statement/prospectus.
Neither CoStar nor LoopNet has historically paid dividends.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, LoopNet is prohibited
from declaring or paying any dividends prior to completion of
the merger.
25
RISK
FACTORS
In addition to the other information included in this proxy
statement/prospectus, including the matters addressed in
Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking
Statements beginning on page 32 of this proxy
statement/prospectus, you should carefully consider the
following risks before deciding whether to vote for the adoption
of the merger agreement.
Risk
Factors Related to the Merger
Because
the market price of CoStar common stock will fluctuate, LoopNet
stockholders cannot be sure of the market value of CoStar common
stock that they will receive in the merger.
Upon completion of the merger, in addition to the per share cash
consideration, each share of LoopNet common stock, other than
excluded shares, will be converted into the right to receive
0.03702 shares of CoStar common stock. Because this number
of shares of CoStar common stock is fixed and will not be
adjusted in the event of any increase or decrease in the price
of either CoStar common stock or LoopNet common stock, the value
of the CoStar common stock to be issued in the merger will
depend upon the market price of CoStar common stock. This market
price may vary from the closing price of CoStar common stock on
the date the merger was announced, on the date that this proxy
statement/prospectus was mailed to LoopNet stockholders and on
the date of the LoopNet special meeting. Accordingly, at the
time of the LoopNet special meeting, LoopNet stockholders will
not necessarily know or be able to calculate the value of the
consideration they would be entitled to receive upon completion
of the merger. You should obtain current market quotations for
shares of CoStar common stock and for shares of LoopNet common
stock.
The
market price of CoStar common stock after the merger may be
affected by factors different from those affecting the shares of
CoStar or LoopNet currently.
The businesses of CoStar and LoopNet differ and, accordingly,
the results of operations of CoStar and the market price of
CoStar common stock following the merger and the combination of
the two businesses may be affected by factors different from
those currently affecting the independent results of operations
and market prices of common stock of each of CoStar and LoopNet.
For a discussion of the businesses of CoStar and LoopNet and of
certain factors to consider in connection with those businesses,
see the documents incorporated by reference in this proxy
statement/prospectus and referred to under Where You Can
Find Additional Information beginning on page 111.
The
failure to successfully integrate LoopNets business and
operations and/or fully realize synergies from the merger in the
expected time frame may adversely affect CoStars future
results.
The success of the merger will depend, in part, on CoStars
ability to successfully integrate LoopNets business and
operations and fully realize the anticipated benefits and
synergies from combining the businesses of CoStar and LoopNet.
However, to realize these anticipated benefits and synergies,
the businesses of CoStar and LoopNet must be successfully
combined. If CoStar is not able to achieve these objectives
following the merger, the anticipated benefits and synergies of
the merger may not be realized fully or at all or may take
longer to realize than expected. Any failure to timely realize
these anticipated benefits could have a material adverse effect
on the revenues, expenses and operating results of CoStar.
CoStar and LoopNet have operated and, until the completion of
the merger, will continue to operate independently. It is
possible that the integration process could result in the loss
of key employees, loss of key clients, decreases in revenues,
increases in operating costs, as well as the disruption of each
companys ongoing businesses, any or all of which could
limit CoStars ability to achieve the anticipated benefits
and synergies of the merger and have an adverse effect on the
operating results of CoStar. Integration efforts between the two
companies will also divert management attention and resources,
which could also adversely affect the operating results of
CoStar.
26
CoStar
and LoopNet may have difficulty attracting, motivating and
retaining executives and other key employees in light of the
merger.
Uncertainty about the effect of the merger on CoStar and LoopNet
employees may have an adverse effect on CoStar and LoopNet and
consequently the combined business. This uncertainty may impair
CoStars and LoopNets ability to attract, retain and
motivate key personnel until the merger is completed, or longer
for the combined entity. Employee retention may be particularly
challenging during the pendency of the merger, as employees of
CoStar and LoopNet may experience uncertainty about their future
roles with the combined business. Additionally, LoopNets
officers and employees may own shares of LoopNets common
stock and/or
have stock option or restricted stock unit grants and, if the
merger is completed, may therefore be entitled to the merger
consideration, the payment of which could provide sufficient
financial incentive for certain officers and employees to no
longer pursue employment with the combined business. If key
employees of CoStar or LoopNet depart because of issues relating
to the uncertainty and difficulty of integration, financial
incentives or a desire not to become employees of the combined
business, CoStar may have to incur significant costs in
identifying, hiring and retaining replacements for departing
employees, which could reduce CoStars ability to realize
the anticipated benefits of the merger.
The
merger is subject to the receipt of consents and approvals from
governmental entities that may jeopardize or delay the date of
completion of the merger or impose conditions that could have an
adverse effect on CoStar.
Completion of the merger is conditioned upon the receipt of
certain governmental clearances or approvals, including the
expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period
relating to the merger under the HSR Act. These consents and
approvals may not be obtained or, if obtained, may delay the
date of completion of the merger and may include conditions in
the completion of the merger or require divestitures or other
changes relating to the operations or assets of CoStar and
LoopNet. No assurance can be given that the required clearances
or approvals will be obtained and, if all required clearances
and approvals are obtained, no assurance can be given as to the
terms, conditions and timing of the clearances and approvals.
Such conditions, divestitures or changes could have the effect
of jeopardizing or delaying completion of the merger or reducing
the anticipated benefits of the merger, any of which might have
a material adverse effect on CoStar following the merger. CoStar
is not obligated to complete the merger if, among other things,
the governmental approvals required to be received in connection
with the merger include any conditions or restrictions that,
individually or in the aggregate, are reasonably expected to
impose a substantial detriment on CoStar, but CoStar could
choose to waive this condition. If CoStar waives this condition,
the anticipated benefits of the merger may be reduced and its
business and results of operations may be adversely affected
after the completion of the merger.
See The Merger Agreement Conditions of the
Merger and The Merger Regulatory
Matters beginning on pages 79 and 63, respectively,
of this proxy statement/prospectus.
CoStars
and LoopNets business relationships, including client
relationships, may be subject to disruption due to uncertainty
associated with the merger.
Parties with which CoStar and LoopNet do business may experience
uncertainty associated with the transaction, including with
respect to current or future business relationships with CoStar,
LoopNet or the combined business. CoStars and
LoopNets business relationships may be subject to
disruption as clients and others may attempt to negotiate
changes in existing business relationships or consider entering
into business relationships with parties other than CoStar,
LoopNet or the combined business. These disruptions could have
an adverse effect on the businesses, financial condition,
results of operations or prospects of the combined business. The
adverse effect of such disruptions could be exacerbated by a
delay in the completion of the merger or termination of the
merger agreement.
27
The
merger agreement may be terminated in accordance with its terms
and the merger may not be completed.
The merger agreement is subject to a number of conditions which
must be fulfilled in order to complete the merger. Those
conditions include: adoption of the merger agreement by LoopNet
stockholders, the receipt of necessary antitrust approvals,
absence of orders prohibiting the completion of the merger,
effectiveness of the registration statement of which this proxy
statement/prospectus is a part, continued accuracy of the
representations and warranties by both parties and the
performance by both parties of their covenants and agreements.
In addition, both CoStar and LoopNet have rights to terminate
the merger agreement under certain circumstances specified in
the merger agreement. See The Merger Agreement
Termination; Termination Fees; Expenses beginning on
page 81 for a discussion of the circumstances under which
the merger agreement could be terminated.
LoopNets
directors and executive officers have financial interests in the
merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the
interests of LoopNet stockholders.
In considering the recommendation by the LoopNet board of
directors to vote FOR adoption of the merger
agreement, you should be aware that certain of LoopNets
executive officers and directors have financial interests in the
merger that are different from, or in addition to, the interests
of LoopNet stockholders generally. The executive officers and
directors of LoopNet will receive certain benefits upon
completion of the merger, including accelerated vesting of stock
options and restricted stock. In addition, certain executive
officers may be entitled to receive severance payments in
connection with the merger, and CoStar has agreed to continue
certain indemnification arrangements for directors and executive
officers of LoopNet. See The Merger Interests
of Executive Officers and Directors of LoopNet in the Merger;
Change in Control Severance Payments beginning on
page 55 of this proxy statement/prospectus for a discussion
of these financial interests.
The
indebtedness of CoStar following the completion of the merger
will be substantially greater than CoStars indebtedness on
a stand-alone basis and greater than the combined indebtedness
of CoStar and LoopNet existing prior to the transaction. This
increased level of indebtedness could adversely affect CoStar,
including by decreasing CoStars business flexibility and
increasing its borrowing costs.
CoStar has received a commitment letter from J.P. Morgan
for a fully committed term loan of $415.0 million and a
$50.0 million revolving credit facility, of which
$37.5 million is committed, which will be available,
subject to the conditions described below on page 87, to
fund the cash consideration for the merger and related fees and
costs and CoStars ongoing working capital needs following
the transaction. CoStar expects the amount of the term loan
facility that is actually borrowed on the closing date to be
approximately $175.0 million.
CoStar expects the credit agreement to contain customary
restrictive covenants imposing operating and financial
restrictions on CoStar, including restrictions that may limit
its ability to engage in acts that may be in CoStars
long-term best interests. These covenants are likely to include,
among others, limitations (and in some cases, prohibitions) that
would, directly or indirectly, restrict CoStars ability to:
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incur liens or additional indebtedness (including guarantees or
contingent obligations);
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engage in mergers and other fundamental changes;
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sell or otherwise dispose of property or assets or make
acquisitions;
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pay dividends and other distributions; and
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change the nature of its business.
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Any operating restrictions and financial covenants in
CoStars credit agreement and any future financing
agreements may limit CoStars ability to finance future
operations or capital needs or to engage in other
28
business activities. CoStars ability to comply with any
covenants in the credit agreement could be materially affected
by events beyond its control, and there can be no assurance that
it will satisfy any such requirements. If CoStar fails to comply
with these covenants, CoStar may need to seek waivers or
amendments of such covenants, seek alternative or additional
sources of financing or reduce its expenditures. CoStar may be
unable to obtain such waivers, amendments or alternative or
additional financing at all, or on terms favorable to CoStar.
The credit agreement is expected to specify several events of
default, including non-payment, certain cross-defaults, certain
bankruptcy events, covenant or representation breaches and
certain changes in control. If an event of default occurs, the
lenders under the credit agreement are expected to be able to
elect to declare all outstanding borrowings, together with
accrued interest and other fees, to be immediately due and
payable. CoStar may not be able to repay all amounts due under
the credit agreement in the event these amounts are declared due
upon an event of default.
CoStar
will incur significant transaction costs as a result of the
merger.
CoStar expects to incur significant one-time transaction costs
related to the merger. These transaction costs include
investment banking, legal and accounting fees and expenses and
filing fees, printing expenses and other related charges. The
companies may also incur additional unanticipated transaction
costs in connection with the merger. A portion of the
transaction costs related to the merger will be incurred
regardless of whether the merger is completed. Additional costs
will be incurred in connection with integrating the two
companies businesses, such as severance and IT integration
expenses. Costs in connection with the merger and integration
may be higher than expected. These costs could adversely affect
CoStars financial condition, results of operation or
prospects of the combined business.
The
fairness opinion obtained by LoopNet from its financial advisor
will not reflect changes in circumstances subsequent to the date
of the fairness opinion.
Evercore Group L.L.C. (Evercore), LoopNets
financial advisor in connection with the proposed merger, has
delivered to the board of directors of LoopNet its opinion dated
as of April 27, 2011. The opinion of Evercore stated that
as of such date, and based on and subject to assumptions made,
matters considered and limitations on the scope of review
undertaken by Evercore as set forth in the opinion, the cash
consideration plus the exchange ratio was fair, from a financial
point of view, to the holders of the shares of LoopNet common
stock entitled to receive shares of CoStar common stock in the
merger. The opinion does not reflect changes that may occur or
may have occurred after the date of the opinion, including
changes to the operations and prospects of CoStar or LoopNet,
changes in general market and economic conditions or regulatory
or other factors. Any such changes, or changes in other factors
on which the opinion is based, may materially alter or affect
the relative values of CoStar and LoopNet.
The
merger agreement and the voting agreement limit LoopNets
ability to pursue alternatives to the merger.
The merger agreement contains provisions that limit
LoopNets ability to solicit and respond to competing
proposals, and the ability of the Board to change or withdraw
its recommendation of the merger. Further, following an
acquisition proposal or offer for a competing transaction,
CoStar has the right to negotiate with LoopNet to match such
proposal or offer. Although the Board is permitted to terminate
the merger agreement in certain circumstances if it determines
in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel and
its financial advisor, that the failure to take such action
would be inconsistent with its fiduciary duties to LoopNet
stockholders under Delaware law, doing so in specified
situations could entitle CoStar to a termination fee of
$25.8 million. See The Merger Agreement
No Solicitation; Changes in Recommendations, and The
Merger Agreement Termination; Termination Fees;
Expenses beginning on pages 74 and 81, respectively,
of this proxy statement/prospectus.
While LoopNet believes these provisions are reasonable and not
preclusive of other offers, the provisions might discourage a
third party that has an interest in acquiring all or a
significant part of LoopNet from
29
considering or proposing that acquisition, even if that party
were prepared to pay consideration with a higher per-share value
than the currently proposed merger consideration. In addition,
the termination fee may result in a potential competing acquiror
proposing to pay a lower per-share price to acquire LoopNet than
it might otherwise have proposed to pay because of the potential
added expense.
In addition, LoopNets directors and certain of
LoopNets executive officers and significant stockholders
entered into a voting agreement with CoStar and LoopNet and have
agreed, in their capacities as LoopNet stockholders, to vote all
shares of LoopNets capital stock beneficially owned by
them in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement and any
related proposal in furtherance thereof and against any proposal
made in opposition to the merger, in each case, subject to the
terms and conditions of the voting agreement. As of the record
date, the directors, executive officer and significant
stockholders who signed the voting agreement beneficially owned
approximately 32% of the total outstanding shares of
LoopNets common stock (including the shares underlying the
Series A Preferred Stock but excluding shares issuable upon
exercise of options held by such stockholders). The voting
agreement will terminate automatically upon termination of the
merger agreement. As long as the voting agreement remains in
effect, approximately 32% of the total outstanding shares of
LoopNets common stock are committed to be voted in favor
of the merger. See The Voting Agreement.
Failure
to complete the merger could negatively impact the stock price
and future business and financial results of
LoopNet.
If the merger is not completed, the ongoing business of LoopNet
may be adversely affected and LoopNet will be subject to several
risks, including the following:
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LoopNet may be required, under certain circumstances, to pay
CoStar a termination fee of $25.8 million under the merger
agreement;
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LoopNet will be required to pay certain costs relating to the
merger, whether or not the merger is completed, such as legal,
accounting, financial advisor and printing fees;
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under the merger agreement, LoopNet is subject to certain
restrictions on the conduct of its business prior to completing
the merger which may adversely affect its ability to execute
certain of its business strategies; and
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matters relating to the merger may require substantial
commitments of time and resources by LoopNet management, which
could otherwise have been devoted to other opportunities that
may have been beneficial to LoopNet as an independent company.
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In addition, if the merger is not completed, LoopNet may
experience negative reactions from the financial markets and
from its customers and employees. LoopNet also could be subject
to litigation related to any failure to complete the merger or
to enforcement proceedings commenced against it to perform its
obligations under the merger agreement. If the merger is not
completed, LoopNet cannot assure its stockholders that the risks
described above will not materialize and will not materially
affect its business, financial results and stock price.
The
shares of CoStar common stock to be received by LoopNet
stockholders as a result of the merger will have different
rights from shares of LoopNet common stock.
Following completion of the merger, LoopNet stockholders will no
longer be stockholders of LoopNet. LoopNet stockholders will
instead be stockholders of CoStar. There will be important
differences between your current rights as a LoopNet stockholder
and the rights to which you will be entitled as a CoStar
stockholder. See Comparison of Stockholder Rights
beginning on page 101 for a discussion of the different rights
associated with CoStar common stock and LoopNet common stock.
In addition, upon the completion of the merger, each LoopNet
stockholder will become a stockholder of CoStar with a
percentage ownership that is much smaller than any such
stockholders percentage ownership of LoopNet. Because of
this, LoopNets stockholders will have significantly less
influence on the management and policies of CoStar than they now
have on the management and policies of LoopNet.
30
An
adverse judgment in a lawsuit challenging the merger may prevent
the merger from becoming effective or from becoming effective
within the expected timeframe.
One of the conditions to the closing of the merger is that no
order, injunction or decree or other legal restraint or
prohibition that prevents the completion of the merger be in
effect. If any plaintiff were successful in obtaining an
injunction prohibiting LoopNet or CoStar from completing the
merger on the
agreed-upon
terms, then such injunction may prevent the merger from becoming
effective or from becoming effective within the expected
timeframe. See The Merger Litigation on
page 66.
Risk
Factors Related to CoStar and LoopNet
CoStar and LoopNet are, and following completion of the merger,
CoStar and LoopNet will continue to be, subject to the risks
described in (i) Part I, Item 1A in CoStars
Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and filed with the SEC
on February 25, 2011, (ii) Part II, Item 1A
in CoStars Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011 and filed
with the SEC on April 29, 2011, (iii) Part I,
Item 1A in LoopNets Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2010 and filed with the SEC
on March 3, 2011 and (iv) Part II, Item 1A
in LoopNets Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2011 and filed
with the SEC on May 6, 2011, in each case, incorporated by
reference into this proxy statement/prospectus. You should read
and consider these additional risk factors associated with each
of the businesses of CoStar and LoopNet because these risk
factors may affect the operations and financial results of the
combined company. See Where You Can Find Additional
Information beginning on page 111 of this proxy
statement/prospectus.
31
CAUTIONARY
STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This proxy statement/prospectus contains forward-looking
statements based on estimates and assumptions. Forward-looking
statements include information concerning possible or assumed
future results of operations of each of LoopNet and CoStar, the
expected completion and timing of the merger and other
information relating to the merger. There are forward-looking
statements throughout this proxy statement/prospectus,
including, among others, under the headings Summary,
The Merger and Opinion of LoopNets
Financial Advisor and in statements containing the words
believes, expects,
anticipates, intends,
estimates or other similar expressions. For each of
these statements, LoopNet and CoStar claim the protection of the
safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You should be
aware that forward-looking statements involve known and unknown
risks and uncertainties.
These forward-looking statements, which reflect LoopNets
and CoStars managements beliefs, speak only as of
the date on which the statements were made. In addition, these
forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with
respect to future business strategies and decisions that are
subject to change. Achievement of the expressed beliefs,
objectives and expectations is subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially. LoopNet and CoStar undertake no obligation to update
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances
occurring after the date of this proxy statement/prospectus.
In addition to the risks described under Risk
Factors beginning on page 26 of this proxy
statement/prospectus and those risks described in documents that
are incorporated by reference into this proxy
statement/prospectus, the following factors could cause actual
results to differ materially from those discussed in the
forward-looking statements:
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the financial performance of each of LoopNet and CoStar through
the completion of the merger;
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volatility in the stock markets;
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the timing of, and regulatory and other conditions associated
with, the completion of the merger;
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the possibility that the merger does not close, including, but
not limited to, due to the failure to obtain approval of
LoopNets stockholders, or the failure to obtain
governmental approval;
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the possibility that the expected synergies from the proposed
merger will not be realized, or will not be realized within the
anticipated time period or that the businesses will not be
integrated successfully;
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the risk that the businesses of CoStar and LoopNet may not be
combined successfully or in a timely and cost-efficient manner;
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the risk that business disruption relating to the merger may be
greater than expected;
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failure to obtain any required financing on favorable terms;
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competitive pressures in the markets in which LoopNet or CoStar
operates;
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the loss of key employees;
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general economic and political conditions, natural disasters,
health concerns, and technological developments;
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risks related to litigation related to the merger in which
LoopNet or CoStar may become involved; and
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other factors that are described from time to time in
CoStars and LoopNets periodic filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
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32
THE
SPECIAL MEETING OF LOOPNET STOCKHOLDERS
Date,
Time and Place
The special meeting will be held at 9:00 am local time on
July 11, 2011, at 185 Berry Street, San Francisco, CA
94107.
Purpose
At the special meeting, LoopNet stockholders will be asked to:
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consider and adopt the merger agreement;
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approve, by an advisory vote, the change in control severance
payments; and
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approve the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or
appropriate, for, among other reasons, the solicitation of
additional proxies in the event that there are not sufficient
votes at the time of the special meeting to adopt the merger
agreement.
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LoopNet does not expect that any matter other than the proposals
listed above will be brought before the special meeting. If,
however, other matters are properly brought before the special
meeting, or any adjournment or postponement of the special
meeting, the persons named as proxies will vote in accordance
with their judgment.
LoopNet
Board Recommendation
The Board, by unanimous vote, has determined that it is
advisable and in the best interests of LoopNet and its
stockholders to consummate the merger contemplated by the merger
agreement, and unanimously recommends that stockholders vote FOR
the proposal to adopt the merger agreement, FOR the proposal to
approve, by an advisory vote, the change in control severance
payments and FOR the proposal to adjourn the special meeting, if
necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional proxies.
Who Can
Vote at the Special Meeting
Only holders of record of LoopNet common stock and Series A
Preferred Stock, as of the close of business on June 1,
2011, which is the record date for the special meeting, are
entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the special
meeting. If you own shares that are registered in the name of
someone else, such as a broker, you need to direct that person
to vote those shares or obtain an authorization from them and
vote the shares yourself at the meeting. On the record date,
there were 33,207,916 shares of common stock outstanding
and 50,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock
outstanding, convertible into 7,440,476 shares of LoopNet
common stock.
Vote
Required; Quorum
The adoption of the merger agreement requires LoopNet to obtain
the Stockholder Approval. The Stockholder Approval requires the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding
shares of LoopNets common stock and Series A
Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class on an
as-converted basis. Because the required votes of LoopNets
stockholders are based upon the number of outstanding shares of
common stock as well as the outstanding shares of Series A
Preferred Stock, and not based on the number of outstanding
shares represented in person or by proxy at the special meeting,
failure to submit a proxy or to vote in person will have the
same effect as a vote AGAINST adoption of the merger agreement.
A vote to abstain will have the same effect.
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the
special meeting and entitled to vote thereon will be required to
approve, by an advisory vote, the change in control severance
payments. Because the vote is advisory in nature only, it will
not be binding on LoopNet, and failure to receive the vote
required for approval will not in itself change LoopNets
obligations to make the change in control severance payments.
Abstentions or broker non-votes will have no effect on this
proposal.
33
The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast at the
special meeting and entitled to vote thereon will be required to
approve the adjournment of the special meeting, if necessary or
appropriate, for, among other reasons, the solicitation of
additional proxies. Abstentions or broker non-votes will have no
effect on this proposal.
If your shares of common stock are held in street
name by your broker, you should instruct your broker how
to vote your shares using the instructions provided by your
broker. Under applicable regulations, brokers who hold shares in
street name for customers may not exercise their
voting discretion with respect to non-routine matters such as
the adoption of the merger agreement. As a result, if you do not
instruct your broker to vote your shares of common stock, your
shares will not be voted.
For purposes of transacting business at the special meeting, a
majority of the outstanding shares of common stock and
Series A Preferred Stock, on an as-converted basis,
entitled to vote being present in person or represented by
proxy, will constitute a quorum.
Voting
Agreement
In connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement, LoopNets directors and certain of
LoopNets executive officers and significant stockholders
entered into the voting agreement with CoStar and LoopNet and
have agreed, in their capacities as LoopNet stockholders, to,
among other things, vote all shares of LoopNets capital
stock beneficially owned by them in favor of adoption of the
merger agreement and any related proposal in furtherance thereof
and against any proposal made in opposition to the merger, in
each case, subject to the terms and conditions of the voting
agreement. As of the record date, the directors, executive
officer and significant stockholders who signed the voting
agreement beneficially owned approximately 32% of the total
outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock (including the
shares underlying the Series A Preferred Stock but
excluding shares issuable upon exercise of options held by such
stockholders).
Pursuant to the voting agreement, all holders of Series A
Preferred Stock have delivered a contingent conversion notice to
LoopNet. Under the terms of such notices, all outstanding shares
of Series A Preferred Stock will be converted into LoopNet
common stock immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the
completion of the merger. Based on the $6.72 conversion price of
the Series A Preferred Stock, each share of Series A
Preferred Stock will be converted into 148.80952 shares of
LoopNet common stock. The voting agreement also provides for
certain waivers and consents granted by the signing directors,
executive officers and significant stockholders to LoopNet in
connection with their rights under the Series A
Certificate, which are described under The
Merger Certain Terms of the LoopNets
Series A Preferred Stock.
Voting by
Proxy
This proxy statement/prospectus is being sent to you on behalf
of the Board for the purpose of requesting that you allow your
shares of LoopNet common stock and Series A Preferred
Stock, as applicable, to be represented at the special meeting
by the persons named in the enclosed proxy card. All shares of
LoopNet common stock represented at the meeting by properly
executed proxy cards or by proxies submitted over the telephone
or over the Internet will be voted in accordance with the
instructions indicated on those proxies. If you sign and return
a proxy card without giving voting instructions, your shares
will be voted as recommended by the Board. The Board
recommends a vote FOR adoption of the merger agreement, FOR the
proposal to approve, by an advisory vote, the change in control
severance payments and FOR the proposal to adjourn the special
meeting, if necessary or appropriate, to solicit additional
proxies.
You may revoke your proxy at any time before the vote is taken
at the special meeting. To revoke your proxy, you must either
advise LoopNets Secretary in writing, deliver a proxy
dated after the date of the proxy you wish to revoke, or attend
the special meeting and vote your shares in person. Attendance
at the special meeting will not by itself constitute revocation
of a proxy. If you have instructed your broker to vote your
shares, you must follow the directions provided by your broker
to change those instructions.
34
Householding
Certain LoopNet stockholders who share an address are being
delivered only one copy of this proxy statement/prospectus
unless LoopNet or one of its mailing agents has received
contrary instructions.
Upon the written or oral request of a LoopNet stockholder at a
shared address to which a single copy of this proxy
statement/prospectus was delivered, LoopNet will promptly
deliver a separate copy of such document to the requesting
LoopNet stockholder. Written requests should be made to LoopNet,
Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 185 Berry Street,
Suite 4000, San Francisco, CA 94107 and oral requests
may be made by calling Investor Relations of LoopNet at
(415) 284-4310.
In addition, LoopNet stockholders who wish to receive a separate
copy of LoopNets proxy statements and annual reports in
the future should notify LoopNet either in writing addressed to
the foregoing address or by calling the foregoing telephone
number.
LoopNet stockholders sharing an address who are receiving
multiple copies of LoopNets notice of internet
availability of proxy materials
and/or proxy
statements and annual reports may request delivery of a single
copy of such documents by writing LoopNet at the address above
or calling LoopNet at the telephone number above.
Solicitation
of Proxies
LoopNet will pay all of the costs of this proxy solicitation. In
addition to soliciting proxies by mail, directors, officers and
employees of LoopNet may solicit proxies personally and by
telephone,
e-mail or
otherwise. None of these persons will receive additional or
special compensation for soliciting proxies. LoopNet will, upon
request, reimburse brokers, banks and other nominees for their
expenses in sending proxy materials to their customers who are
beneficial owners and obtaining their voting instructions.
Stockholders should not send stock certificates with their
proxies. A letter of transmittal and instructions for the
surrender of LoopNet stock certificates will be mailed to
LoopNet stockholders shortly after the completion of the merger,
if approved and completed.
LoopNet has engaged Georgeson Inc. to assist in the solicitation
of proxies for the special meeting and will pay Georgeson, Inc.
a fee of approximately $12,000, plus reimbursement of
out-of-pocket
expenses. The address of Georgeson Inc. is 199 Water Street,
26th Floor, New York, NY 10038. If you need assistance in
completing your proxy card or have questions regarding the
special meeting, please contact Georgeson Inc. at
(866) 785-7395
(toll-free) or
(212) 440-9800
collect.
35
THE
MERGER
The discussion of the merger in this proxy statement/prospectus
is qualified by reference to the merger agreement, which is
attached to this proxy statement/prospectus as Annex A. You
should read the merger agreement carefully.
Effects
of the Merger; Merger Consideration
Treasury
Stock
At the effective time of the merger, each share of capital stock
held by LoopNet as treasury stock, other than shares of LoopNet
common stock in a LoopNet employee plan, or owned by CoStar or
merger sub immediately prior to the effective time of the merger
shall be canceled, and no payment shall be made with respect
thereto.
Common
Stock
Except as described above, at the effective time of the merger,
by virtue of the merger and without any action on behalf of the
holders of LoopNet capital stock, each share of LoopNet common
stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger (other than dissenting shares) will receive a unit
consisting of (i) $16.50 in cash, without interest and less
applicable withholding tax, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of
CoStar common stock.
Series A
Preferred Stock
At the effective time of the merger, each share of Series A
Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective
time of the merger (other than dissenting shares, if any), will
receive a unit consisting of (i) $2,455.36 in cash, without
interest and less applicable withholding tax, and
(ii) 5.5089 shares of CoStar common stock, for each
share of Series A Preferred Stock. The per share
consideration for Series A Preferred Stock represents the
common stock equivalent consideration for each share of
Series A Preferred Stock, as provided pursuant to the terms
of the Series A Certificate and the merger agreement. As
discussed in this proxy statement/prospectus under the heading
The Voting Agreement Contingent
Conversion of Series A Preferred Stock, the holders
of all outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock have
delivered contingent conversion notices to LoopNet pursuant to
which such shares will be converted into LoopNet common stock
immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the completion of the
merger.
Fractional
Shares
CoStar will not issue fractional shares of CoStar common stock
in the merger. As a result, LoopNet stockholders will receive
cash for any fractional share of CoStar common stock that they
would otherwise be entitled to receive in the merger. For a full
description of the treatment of fractional shares, see The
Merger Agreement Fractional Shares.
Background
of the Merger
From time to time, LoopNets management and Board have
reviewed the strategic options available to LoopNet, including
organic growth of LoopNets online marketplace for
commercial real estate through product and customer initiatives,
and growth through acquisitions and other diversification
efforts. As part of this review, LoopNet has from time to time
considered various possible business combinations and commercial
arrangements and had discussions with potential strategic
partners.
From November 2007 through November 2009, LoopNet and CoStar
were involved in commercial and intellectual property litigation
against each other in California state court and in federal
courts in New York and Maryland. In September 2008, while the
parties were engaged in discussions with a view to settling the
litigation, Andrew Florance, the President and Chief Executive
Officer of CoStar, approached Richard Boyle, LoopNets
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of its Board, to suggest
the companies discuss a business combination. In November 2008,
CoStar proposed that the parties enter into a mutual
nondisclosure agreement
36
and engage in further discussions to that end. This discussion
did not involve a proposed price or any other substantive terms.
The Board responded to this proposal by authorizing management
to continue discussions with CoStar and to exchange confidential
information, provided that the parties could reach a suitable
confidentiality and standstill agreement. The parties exchanged
drafts of a confidentiality agreement and continued discussions
of the drafts through February 2009, but were unable to reach
agreement. There were no substantive contacts between the two
companies with respect to a possible sale of LoopNet between
February 2009 and February 2010.
In November 2009, LoopNet and CoStar entered into a settlement
agreement with respect to all outstanding litigation between the
companies.
On February 26, 2010, CoStars financial advisor
contacted LoopNets financial advisor, Evercore, to express
CoStars continuing interest in a possible business
combination transaction with LoopNet. Mr. Boyle advised the
Board of this development. On March 2, Mr. Boyle
received a call from Mr. Florance in which
Mr. Florance reiterated CoStars interest in a
transaction. Following this call, on March 10, CoStar
delivered a preliminary written proposal for an acquisition of
LoopNet at a price of $13.00 per share, in equal parts cash and
CoStar common stock.
On March 15, 2010, the Board held a special meeting at
which it reviewed and discussed CoStars proposal and
potential responses with its legal and financial advisors.
Following this discussion, the Board directed management and
LoopNets advisors to respond to CoStar that the Board had
determined that a sale of LoopNet to CoStar at that price was
not in the best interests of LoopNets common stockholders,
and that LoopNet remained focused on executing on its strategic
plan to create value for its stockholders.
On March 19, 2010, Mr. Boyle delivered a letter to
Mr. Florance conveying the Boards determination. On
March 26, CoStar delivered a letter to three members of the
Board, Noel Fenton, Thomas E. Unterman and James T. Farrell,
indicating that it had no interest in pursuing an unsolicited
bid, but remained open to discussing a possible business
combination transaction. On March 31, at a special meeting
of the Board, the Board reviewed the letter and, in consultation
with its advisors, determined that no further response was
warranted.
There were no substantive contacts between the two companies
with respect to a possible sale of LoopNet between March 2010
and February 2011.
On February 17, 2011, CoStar made an unsolicited written
proposal to acquire LoopNet at a price of $16.50 per share in
cash, which represented a premium of 39% to the closing price of
LoopNet common stock on that day. The proposal stated that it
was subject to customary conditions, including confirmatory due
diligence, the negotiation of an acceptable merger agreement,
and final approval by the CoStar board of directors. The
proposal stated that, based on discussions with its financial
advisors at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, CoStar was
comfortable that it would be able to arrange the
necessary financing and that the merger agreement would not be
subject to a financing condition.
Mr. Boyle forwarded the CoStar proposal to the Board, which
held a meeting on February 19, 2011, together with
financial and legal advisors, for a preliminary discussion of
the proposal. The Board directed Mr. Boyle to acknowledge
to CoStar that LoopNet had received the proposal and that the
Board would consider it. The Board then scheduled a meeting for
February 26, 2011 for a detailed review of the CoStar
proposal.
At the February 26, 2011 meeting Davis Polk &
Wardwell LLP, LoopNets counsel, reviewed with the Board
its legal duties in considering the proposal, and introduced the
key legal issues that would need to be addressed if the Board
were to consider a transaction with CoStar. Davis Polk also
reviewed with the Board the elements of a stockholder rights
plan so that the Board would be prepared to adopt such a plan in
the future if circumstances warranted. Evercore presented an
overview of LoopNets defensive profile and current trends
in shareholder rights plans and reviewed the CoStar proposal
from a financial point of view based on a preliminary valuation
analysis that it had prepared using, among other things, the
four-year strategic plan that
37
had earlier in the month been reviewed and adopted by the Board.
Evercore discussed with the Board the state of the acquisition
finance markets and its view of CoStars ability to finance
the transaction at various price points. Evercore also reviewed
with the Board its assessment of the potential interest and
capacity of other prospective acquirors, including companies and
private equity sponsors. This assessment indicated that CoStar
was by a clear margin the most likely potential acquiror of
LoopNet in terms both of strategic fit and purchase price
capacity.
The Board discussed the CoStar proposal in the context of
LoopNets other strategic alternatives, including remaining
independent and executing on LoopNets growth strategy,
including potential acquisitions. The Board concluded that while
CoStars proposal in its current form was not acceptable,
it did represent a substantial and credible offer and that it
would be in the interests of LoopNet stockholders to attempt to
engage with CoStar with a view to improving the proposal. The
Board directed management and advisors to communicate this
position to CoStar and to state that LoopNet was prepared to
negotiate with and provide certain information to CoStar,
provided that a suitable confidentiality and standstill
agreement could be reached.
Evercore communicated LoopNets position to
J.P. Morgan, and provided a form of confidentiality and
standstill agreement. The financial advisors and legal counsel
discussed the proposed agreement and CoStars advisors
provided a list of requested nonpublic information concerning
LoopNet. The Board reviewed the status of the process at a
meeting on March 4, 2011, and agreed upon the required
elements of a confidentiality and standstill agreement. The
Board also agreed with managements view that, especially
in light of the history of adversarial relations between the two
companies, LoopNet should provide only limited information to
CoStar until and unless the parties had reached agreement as to
price and key terms. The Board determined, in consultation with
its advisors, that it would be inappropriate at this point to
contact other potential acquirors in light of the early stage of
the process, the perceived unlikelihood of others being
competitive, and the risk of information leakage.
The companies and their advisors continued to negotiate with
respect to the confidentiality and standstill agreement and
reached agreement on March 10, 2011. Under the agreement,
in exchange for LoopNet providing nonpublic information, CoStar
agreed for a period of four months, subject to earlier
termination in certain circumstances, not to acquire LoopNet
shares, to make an unsolicited offer to acquire LoopNet, or to
take certain other unilateral actions. Management and advisors
updated the Board on this and other developments in a meeting on
March 11, 2011.
Following execution of the confidentiality and standstill
agreement, LoopNet provided nonpublic commercial and financial
information to CoStar and participated in conversations and
meetings with CoStar and its advisors. Davis Polk also prepared
a form of merger agreement which it reviewed with the Board at a
meeting on March 16, 2011. At that same meeting the Board
discussed with management and advisors the response that LoopNet
should provide to CoStar with respect to its initial offer. At
the Boards direction on March 16, Evercore
communicated to J.P. Morgan that LoopNet believed that
CoStars initial $16.50 offer was inadequate and that
LoopNet believed that an acceptable valuation would be in excess
of 10% above that level ($18.15) but not necessarily as much as
20% higher ($19.80). On March 16 Davis Polk also provided
LoopNets proposed form of merger agreement to Simpson
Thacher & Bartlett LLP, CoStars counsel. On
March 18, 2011, senior management of the companies and
their respective financial advisors participated in a due
diligence meeting in San Francisco.
On April 5, 2011, J.P. Morgan indicated to Evercore
that CoStar was revising its proposal from $16.50 per share to
$17.35 per share, consisting of $15.46 in cash and the balance
in CoStar common stock. The Board met the following day with
management and advisors to consider this proposal. The Board
noted that the revised proposal was not at a valuation that the
Board considered acceptable and that the cash portion of the
offer had been reduced from the $16.50 per share in the original
proposal. The Board directed Evercore to inform J.P. Morgan
that the revised offer was unacceptable and that LoopNet did not
intend to continue discussions on this basis. Evercore conveyed
the Boards determination to J.P. Morgan the following
day.
On April 8, 2011, J.P. Morgan informed Evercore of a
revised CoStar proposal of $18.25 per share, consisting of
$16.50 per share in cash and the balance in CoStar common stock.
This offer represented an
38
approximately 25% premium to the then-current price of LoopNet
common stock. Simpson Thacher had also provided a markup of the
merger agreement to Davis Polk on April 6. The Board
considered the revised proposal at a meeting with management and
advisors on April 8. The Board directed Evercore to respond
to J.P. Morgan with a counterproposal at $19.25 per share,
consisting of $16.50 per share and the balance in CoStar common
stock. The Board decided on this mix of consideration based in
part on advice from Evercore that the $16.50 per share cash
component was at or near the high end of the cash level that
CoStar likely would be willing to pay. Evercore communicated
this proposal to J.P. Morgan the following day.
During this period, Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher continued to
negotiate the merger agreement, with particular focus on the
allocation of risk concerning antitrust clearance, the amount of
and triggering circumstances of the termination fees, and
whether the transaction would be effected through a two-step
approach, with a tender offer followed by a merger, or through a
one-step merger. The parties also discussed issues concerning
CoStars financing for the transaction, including the
financial information that would be required to be supplied by
LoopNet and the timing implications of the marketing plan for
the financing.
On April 14, 2011, members of CoStar and LoopNet senior
management, along with their respective financial advisors, held
a conference call in which each party discussed its preliminary
financial results for the first quarter of 2011 and its
financial outlook for the remainder of 2011. Subsequent to this
financial due diligence discussion, on April 14, 2011,
J.P. Morgan communicated to Evercore what it called
CoStars best and final proposal for the acquisition of
LoopNet, which called for a merger consideration of $18.75 per
share, consisting of $16.50 in cash and the balance in CoStar
common stock. The Board considered this proposal at a meeting
the following day. Evercore presented a preliminary financial
analysis of the revised proposal. Evercore also advised the
Board that in its view CoStars position that it would be
unwilling to increase its offer further was credible.
Davis Polk reviewed with the Board at this meeting the status of
discussions with respect to the merger agreement. The two
principal issues highlighted were the allocation of regulatory
approval risk and the timing impact of CoStars need to
arrange financing. On the first point, LoopNets initial
position had been that CoStar agree to a hell or high
water formulation whereby CoStar would agree to take any
and all actions to secure approval. As is typical of acquirors
in a similar situation, CoStar indicated that it was unwilling
to accept such an unconditioned obligation. The Board concluded
that it would consider requiring a lesser level of obligation,
provided that in the event the transaction failed to occur
because of antitrust issues CoStar would be obliged to pay
LoopNet an appropriate termination fee. On the second point the
Board concluded that, provided that the merger agreement
continued to have no financing condition, it would be willing to
grant CoStar the ability to delay a closing for a modest period
in order to market and complete its financing on favorable
terms. The Board authorized management and advisors to seek to
complete negotiations with CoStar on the basis of the price
reflected in its most recent proposal.
During negotiations, CoStar took the position that LoopNet
should be required to pay a termination fee equal to 3.75% of
the equity value of the transaction if the transaction were
terminated after signing for any of several reasons. The Board
viewed this proposed termination fee as unacceptably high.
During negotiations over the weekend of April 16 and 17, 2011,
the parties agreed that the termination fee payable by LoopNet
under certain circumstances would be $25.8 million,
approximately 3.0% of transaction equity value, while the
termination fee payable by CoStar under certain circumstances
would be $51.6 million, approximately 6.0% of transaction
equity value.
Over the course of the week of April 18, 2011, LoopNet and
its legal and financial advisors responded to documentary due
diligence requests from CoStar, its legal and financial advisors
and its potential lenders, and the parties respective
legal advisors continued to negotiate the merger agreement and
related documents.
On April 18, 2011, members of LoopNet senior management
discussed the terms of the merger agreement with Davis Polk, and
Davis Polk delivered a revised draft of the merger agreement and
related documents to Simpson Thacher.
On the morning of April 20, 2011, members of LoopNet senior
management and representatives of Evercore participated in due
diligence sessions with CoStar, its legal and financial advisors
and its potential
39
lenders related to the proposed merger and acquisition
financing. Diligence discussions continued during the remainder
of the negotiations.
Later on April 20, 2011, Evercore and J.P. Morgan held
a telephone conference to discuss status and CoStars
supplemental due diligence requests. Simpson Thacher provided
markups of the merger agreement and related documents, and a
draft of a voting and support agreement pursuant to which
LoopNets directors and certain of LoopNets executive
officers and significant stockholders would agree, in their
capacities as LoopNet stockholders, to, among other things, vote
their shares of LoopNet capital stock in favor of adoption of
the merger agreement.
On April 21, 2011, members of LoopNet senior management and
LoopNets legal and financial advisors discussed
CoStars supplemental due diligence requests, the documents
delivered by Simpson Thacher and the compensation
committees recommendation. Davis Polk and Simpson Thacher
held a telephone conference to discuss the merger agreement and
related documents, and narrowed the remaining open legal issues.
On the evening of April 21, 2011, Mr. Boyle and
Mr. Florance discussed the status of the merger agreement,
due diligence and CoStars financing arrangements.
On April 22, 2011, the Board met to review and discuss the
status of the process. Evercore provided the Board with an
update, noting the substantial due diligence undertaken by
CoStar and its potential lenders during the week. Davis Polk
reviewed the status of the merger agreement and related
documents, noting that most major issues had been satisfactorily
resolved. Mr. Boyle then summarized for the Board his
recent discussions with Mr. Florance regarding the proposed
merger. Evercore also reviewed with the Board its assessment of
the potential risks and benefits of soliciting interest from
other potential acquirors with respect to the acquisition of any
or all of LoopNets capital stock or any business
combination or other extraordinary transaction involving
LoopNet. This assessment indicated that the price offered by
CoStar likely was above the range that another company or
private equity sponsor would be willing to pay for LoopNet.
Evercore also noted the potential for information leakage in
connection with such a market check, and its concern that
disruptions in the trading market for either companys
stock could impair the likelihood of executing the merger
agreement on the contemplated schedule. The Board determined, in
consultation with its advisors, that it would not be in the
interests of LoopNets stockholders to conduct a market
check prior to signing the merger agreement.
In February and September of 2010, LoopNet granted
performance-based equity awards to its executive officers that,
by the terms of the award agreements, would vest partially upon
a change in control. These awards were also subject to the
general terms of the LoopNet equity plan, which provides for
full acceleration in the event an acquiror does not assume the
plan. CoStar determined that the cash required to fund the
merger consideration associated with the incremental
acceleration would cause the aggregate cash portion of the
merger consideration to exceed what it had anticipated. As a
result, CoStar and LoopNet agreed that the incremental
accelerated performance-based equity awards would be canceled at
the closing of the merger in exchange for a payment composed
entirely of CoStar common stock based upon the per share value
of the merger consideration at that time. On April 23,
2011, Davis Polk delivered a revised draft of the merger
agreement and related documents, including the disclosure
schedules and voting agreement, to Simpson Thacher.
On April 23 and 24, 2011, Simpson Thacher and Davis Polk held
telephone conferences to discuss the remaining open issues with
respect to the merger agreement and related documents.
On the afternoon of April 24, 2011, the Board held a
special meeting to review and consider the proposed merger.
Members of LoopNet senior management and representatives from
Evercore and Davis Polk were present at the meeting. Davis Polk
reviewed legal matters relating to the Boards
consideration of the proposed merger, including the
directors fiduciary duties, and provided an overview of
the proposed merger agreement. Evercore then provided an updated
financial analysis of CoStars proposal, and reviewed the
fixed exchange ratio proposed by CoStar with respect to the
stock portion of the merger consideration. Evercore confirmed to
the Board that Evercore was prepared to render its fairness
opinion with respect to the merger consideration to be received
by LoopNets common stockholders (other than CoStar and its
affiliates) when requested by the Board. The Board authorized
management and advisors to seek to complete negotiations with
CoStar with a targeted announcement following the close of
trading on Nasdaq on April 27, 2011.
40
On the evening of April 24, 2011, J.P. Morgan
delivered to Evercore a draft of the debt commitment letter from
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.
Davis Polk reviewed and discussed the terms of the acquisition
financing with Simpson Thacher.
Over the course of April 25, 26 and 27, 2011, Simpson
Thacher and Davis Polk finalized the merger agreement and
related documents, including the voting agreement. Members of
LoopNet senior management held several discussions with Evercore
and Davis Polk regarding the final terms of the merger agreement
and related documents.
On the afternoon of April 27, 2011, the Board met to
consider the final merger agreement and related documents. Davis
Polk updated the Board on developments since the Boards
previous meeting on April 24, 2011. Davis Polk also
reviewed the terms of the merger agreement and noted that all
major issues had been satisfactorily resolved. Evercore
delivered its oral opinion, which was subsequently confirmed in
writing as of April 27, 2011, to the effect that, as of
that date and based on and subject to assumptions made, matters
considered and limitations on the scope of review undertaken by
Evercore as set forth therein, the merger consideration was
fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of shares
of LoopNets common stock entitled to receive such merger
consideration. The Board unanimously authorized and approved the
merger agreement and related documents, and the merger agreement
and the voting agreement were executed by the parties following
receipt of a copy of the executed debt commitment letter and
Evercores signed fairness opinion.
On April 27, 2011, immediately after the close of trading
on Nasdaq, LoopNet and CoStar issued a joint press release
announcing the merger.
During the week of May 16, 2011, Simpson Thacher and Davis
Polk discussed and finalized Amendment No. 1 to the merger
agreement dated April 27, 2011, which Amendment was
unanimously approved by the Board on May 19, 2011 and
executed by LoopNet, CoStar and merger sub on May 20, 2011.
The
Recommendation of the LoopNet Board of Directors and Its Reasons
for the Merger
The Board, by unanimous vote, has determined that it is
advisable and in the best interests of LoopNet and its
stockholders to consummate the merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement, and unanimously recommends
that stockholders vote FOR the proposal to adopt the merger
agreement. When you consider the Boards recommendation,
you should be aware that LoopNets directors may have
interests in the merger that may be different from, or in
addition to, your interests. These interests are described in
Interests of Executive Officers and Directors
of LoopNet in the Merger; Change in Control Severance
Payments.
In determining that the merger and the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement are advisable and in the
best interests of LoopNet and its stockholders, the Board
consulted with management and its financial and legal advisors
and considered a number of factors, including the following:
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Merger Consideration. The Board concluded that
the merger consideration to be received by LoopNet common
stockholders, including the implied merger consideration as of
April 26, 2011 of $18.73 per share, represented an
attractive valuation for LoopNet. This price represented a
premium of approximately 31% to the closing price per shares of
$14.31 on the last day prior to the Boards approval of the
proposed merger, and premiums of approximately 32% and 39.5%,
respectively, to the one-month and two-month trailing average
closing prices of LoopNet common stock as of April 26,
2011. The Board believed that this price was the highest price
that CoStar would be willing to pay.
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Market and Execution Risks. While the Board
remained supportive of LoopNets recently adopted four-year
strategic plan and optimistic about LoopNets prospects on
a standalone basis, it also considered the risks associated with
going forward as an independent company. The Board considered
the potential market and execution risks associated with the
plan and the attendant risk that, if LoopNet did not enter into
the merger agreement with CoStar, the price that might be
received by LoopNets stockholders selling shares in the
open market, both from a short-term and long-term perspective,
could be less than the merger consideration. The Board concluded
that the merger consideration enabled
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LoopNet stockholders to realize a substantial portion of
LoopNets potential future value without the market or
execution risks associated with continued independence.
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Significant Portion of Merger Consideration in
Cash. The Board considered that a large portion
of the merger consideration will be paid in cash, giving LoopNet
stockholders an opportunity to realize certain value for a
significant portion of their investment.
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Participation in Potential Upside. The Board
considered the benefits to the combined company that could
result from the merger, including an enhanced financial
position, increased diversity and depth in its product lines and
the potential to realize significant cost savings and revenue
synergies, and the fact that, since a portion of the merger
consideration will be paid in CoStar common stock, LoopNet
stockholders would have the opportunity, at least to a limited
extent, to participate in any future earnings or growth of the
combined company and future appreciation in the value of CoStar
common stock following the merger should they decide to retain
the CoStar common stock payable in the merger.
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Extensive Negotiations with CoStar. The Board
considered that CoStar was the most probable buyer and that
CoStar had the substantial resources needed to finance a
transaction at this value and to make the potential merger
successful. The Board also considered the benefits that LoopNet
and its advisors were able to obtain as a result of extensive
negotiations with CoStar, including a significant increase in
CoStars bid from the beginning of the process to the end
of the negotiations. The Board concluded that the consideration
reflected in the merger agreement was the highest value that was
available to LoopNet at the time, and that there was no
assurance that a more favorable opportunity to sell LoopNet
would arise later, especially since CoStar had earlier been
identified by LoopNets management and financial advisor as
the most probable buyer.
|
|
|
|
Opinion of LoopNets Financial
Advisor. The Board considered Evercores
opinion that, as of the date of the opinion and based on and
subject to assumptions made, matters considered and limitations
on the scope of review undertaken by Evercore as set forth
therein, the merger consideration was fair, from a financial
point of view, to the holders of the shares of LoopNet common
stock entitled to receive such merger consideration. The
Evercore opinion is more fully described in the subsection
entitled Opinion of LoopNets Financial
Advisor. The full text of the opinion is attached to this
proxy statement/prospectus as Annex C.
|
|
|
|
Terms of the Merger Agreement. The Board
considered the terms of the merger agreement, including the
parties respective representations, warranties and
covenants, the conditions to their respective obligations to
complete the merger and their ability to terminate the
agreement. The Board noted that the termination or
break-up
fee provisions of the merger agreement could have the effect of
discouraging competing third party proposals, but that such
provisions are customary for transactions of this size and type.
The Board considered that the $25.8 million termination
fee, representing approximately 3.0% of the equity value of the
proposed transaction, was reasonable. The Board noted the merger
agreement permits LoopNet and the Board to respond to a
competing proposal that the Board determines is a superior
proposal, subject to certain restrictions imposed by the merger
agreement and the requirement that LoopNet pay CoStar the
termination fee in the event that LoopNet terminates the merger
agreement to accept a superior proposal. The Board also noted
the $51.6 million termination fee payable by CoStar in
certain circumstances upon termination of the merger agreement
if necessary antitrust approval is not obtained.
|
|
|
|
Likelihood of Closing. The Board considered
the relatively limited nature of the closing conditions included
in the merger agreement, including the absence of any financing
condition and the likelihood that the merger will be approved by
requisite regulatory authorities and LoopNets stockholders.
|
The Board also identified and considered a number of
countervailing factors and risks to LoopNet and its stockholders
relating to the merger and the merger agreement, including the
following:
|
|
|
|
|
Lack of Ongoing Participation in LoopNets Potential
Upside. The Board considered that LoopNet
stockholders would not have the opportunity to continue
participating in LoopNets potentially
|
42
significant upside as an independent company. The Board was
optimistic about LoopNets prospects on a standalone basis
and its recently adopted four-year strategic plan, but the
Boards judgment was that the premium reflected in the
merger consideration reflected fair compensation for the loss of
the potential stockholder benefits that could be realized if
that plan were executed successfully.
|
|
|
|
|
Smaller Ongoing Equity Participation in the Combined Company
by LoopNet Stockholders. The Board understood
that, because LoopNets stockholders will be receiving
primarily cash for their stock, they will receive only limited
compensation for any increase in the value of LoopNet or CoStar
either during the pre-closing period or following the closing.
|
|
|
|
Fixed Stock Portion of Merger
Consideration. The Board considered that because
the stock portion of the merger consideration is a fixed
exchange ratio of shares of CoStar common stock to LoopNet
common stock, LoopNet common and preferred stockholders could be
adversely affected by a decrease in the trading price of CoStar
common stock during the pendency of the merger, and the fact
that the merger agreement does not provide LoopNet with a
price-based termination right or other similar protection, such
as a collar, with respect to CoStars stock
price. The Board determined that this structure was appropriate
and the risk acceptable given that a substantial portion of the
merger consideration will be paid in a fixed cash amount,
reducing the impact of any decline in the trading price of
CoStar common stock on the value of the merger consideration.
|
|
|
|
Potential Inability to Complete the
Merger. The Board considered the possibility that
the merger may not be completed and the potential adverse
consequences to LoopNet if the merger is not completed,
including the potential loss of customers, partners and
employees, reduction of value offered by others to LoopNet in a
future business combination, and erosion of customer, partner
and employee confidence in LoopNet.
|
|
|
|
Interim Operating Covenants. The Board
considered the limitations imposed in the merger agreement on
the conduct of LoopNets business during the pre-closing
period, its ability to solicit and respond to competing
proposals and the ability of the Board to change or withdraw its
recommendation of the merger.
|
|
|
|
Effect of Voting Agreement. The Board
considered the fact that while the approval of the adoption of
the merger agreement by LoopNets stockholders is required
under the merger agreement and the DGCL, approximately 32% of
the total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock
(including the shares underlying the Series A Preferred
Stock) have committed to vote in favor of such adoption pursuant
to the voting agreement. As a result, approximately 32% of the
total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock will
vote to adopt the merger agreement unless the merger agreement
is terminated in accordance with its terms. See The Merger
Agreement No Solicitation; Changes in
Recommendations and The Voting Agreement
beginning on pages 74 and 85 of this proxy statement/prospectus,
respectively.
|
|
|
|
Taxability. The merger is expected to be a
taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes,
and the receipt of CoStar common stock and cash in exchange for
LoopNet common stock in the merger will therefore generally be
taxable to LoopNet common stockholders for U.S. federal
income tax purposes. See The Merger Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger.
|
|
|
|
Interests of LoopNets Directors and Executive
Officers. The Board considered the potential
conflicts of interest of LoopNets directors and executive
officers, as described in the section entitled
Interests of Executive Officers and Directors
of LoopNet in the Merger; Change in Control Severance
Payments.
|
|
|
|
Other Risks. The additional risks described in
the section entitled Risk Factors.
|
The Board concluded that the potentially negative factors
associated with the proposed merger were outweighed by the
potential benefits that it expected LoopNets stockholders
would achieve as a result of the merger, including the belief of
the Board that the proposed merger would maximize the immediate
value of LoopNets common stock and eliminate the risks and
uncertainty affecting the future prospects of LoopNet.
43
Accordingly, the Board unanimously determined that the merger
agreement and the merger are advisable and fair to, and in the
best interests of, LoopNet and its stockholders.
The foregoing discussion of the information and factors
considered by the Board is not intended to be exhaustive but
includes the material factors considered by the Board. In view
of the complexity and wide variety of factors considered, the
Board did not find it useful to and did not attempt to quantify,
rank or otherwise assign weights to these factors. In addition,
the Board did not undertake to make any specific determination
as to whether any particular factor, or any aspect of any
particular factor, was favorable or unfavorable to its ultimate
determination, but rather the Board conducted an overall
analysis of the factors described above, including discussions
with LoopNets management and its financial and legal
advisors. In considering the factors described above, individual
members of the Board may have given different weights to
different factors.
This explanation of LoopNets reasons for the merger and
other information presented in this section is forward-looking
in nature and, therefore, should be read in light of the section
entitled Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements.
Opinion
of LoopNets Financial Advisor
On April 27, 2011, at a meeting of the Board, Evercore
delivered to the Board an oral opinion, which opinion was
subsequently confirmed by delivery of a written opinion dated
April 27, 2011, to the effect that, as of that date and
based on and subject to assumptions made, matters considered and
limitations on the scope of review undertaken by Evercore as set
forth therein, the merger consideration was fair, from a
financial point of view, to the holders of the shares of LoopNet
common stock entitled to receive such merger consideration.
The full text of Evercores written opinion, dated
April 27, 2011, which sets forth, among other things, the
procedures followed, assumptions made, matters considered and
limitations on the scope of review undertaken in rendering its
opinion, is attached as Annex C to this proxy
statement/prospectus and is incorporated by reference in its
entirety into this proxy statement/prospectus. You are urged to
read Evercores opinion carefully and in its entirety.
Evercores opinion was directed to the Board and addresses
only the fairness, from a financial point of view, of the merger
consideration to the holders of the shares of LoopNet common
stock entitled to receive such merger consideration. The opinion
does not address any other aspect of the proposed merger and
does not constitute a recommendation to the Board or to any
other persons in respect of the proposed merger, including as to
how any holder of shares of LoopNet common stock should vote or
act in respect of the proposed merger. Evercores opinion
does not address the relative merits of the proposed merger as
compared to other business or financial strategies that might be
available to LoopNet, nor does it address the underlying
business decision of LoopNet to engage in the proposed
merger.
In connection with rendering its opinion, Evercore, among other
things:
|
|
|
|
|
reviewed certain publicly available business and financial
information relating to LoopNet and CoStar that Evercore deemed
to be relevant, including publicly available research
analysts estimates;
|
|
|
|
reviewed or discussed certain non-public historical financial
statements and other non-public historical financial and
operating data relating to LoopNet and CoStar prepared and
furnished to Evercore by the respective managements of LoopNet
and CoStar;
|
|
|
|
reviewed certain non-public projected operating and financial
data relating to LoopNet prepared and furnished to Evercore by
management of LoopNet;
|
|
|
|
discussed the past and current operations, financial projections
and current financial condition of LoopNet with management of
LoopNet (including their views on the risks and uncertainties of
achieving such projections);
|
|
|
|
reviewed the reported prices and the historical trading activity
of shares of LoopNet common stock and CoStar common stock;
|
44
|
|
|
|
|
compared the financial performance of LoopNet and CoStar and
their respective stock market trading multiples with those of
certain other publicly traded companies that Evercore deemed
relevant;
|
|
|
|
compared the financial performance of LoopNet and the valuation
multiples relating to the merger with those of certain other
transactions that Evercore deemed relevant;
|
|
|
|
reviewed the merger agreement; and
|
|
|
|
performed such other analyses and examinations and considered
such other factors that Evercore deemed appropriate.
|
For purposes of its analysis and opinion, Evercore assumed and
relied upon, without undertaking any independent verification
of, the accuracy and completeness of all of the information
publicly available, and all of the information supplied or
otherwise made available to, discussed with, or reviewed by
Evercore, and Evercore assumed no liability therefor. With
respect to the projected operating and financial data relating
to LoopNet referred to above, Evercore assumed that they had
been reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently
available estimates and good faith judgments of management of
LoopNet as to the future financial performance of LoopNet.
Evercore expressed no view as to any projected operating or
financial data relating to LoopNet or the assumptions on which
they were based.
For purposes of rendering its opinion, Evercore assumed, in all
respects material to its analysis, that the representations and
warranties of each party contained in the merger agreement were
true and correct, that each party would perform all of the
covenants and agreements required to be performed by it under
the merger agreement and that all conditions to the consummation
of the proposed merger would be satisfied without material
waiver or modification thereof. Evercore further assumed that
all governmental, regulatory or other consents, approvals or
releases necessary for the consummation of the proposed merger
would be obtained without any material delay, limitation,
restriction or condition that would have an adverse effect on
LoopNet or CoStar or the consummation of the proposed merger or
materially reduce the benefits to the holders of shares of
LoopNet common stock of the merger.
Evercore did not make or assume any responsibility for making
any independent valuation or appraisal of the assets or
liabilities of LoopNet or CoStar, nor was Evercore furnished
with any such appraisals, nor did Evercore evaluate the solvency
or fair value of LoopNet or CoStar under any state or federal
laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or similar matters.
Evercores opinion was necessarily based upon information
made available to it as of the date of its opinion and
financial, economic, market and other conditions as they existed
and as could be evaluated on the date of its opinion. It should
be understood that subsequent developments may affect
Evercores opinion and that Evercore has no obligation to
update, revise or reaffirm its opinion.
Evercore was not asked to pass upon, and expressed no opinion
with respect to, any matter other than the fairness to the
holders of shares of LoopNet common stock, from a financial
point of view, as of the date of its opinion, of the merger
consideration. Evercore did not express any view on, and its
opinion did not address, the fairness of the proposed
transaction to, or any consideration received in connection
therewith by, the holders of any other securities, creditors or
other constituencies of LoopNet, nor as to the fairness of the
amount or nature of any compensation to be paid or payable to
any of the officers, directors or employees of LoopNet, or any
class of such persons, whether relative to the merger
consideration or otherwise. Evercore assumed that any
modification to the structure of the proposed transaction would
not vary in any respect material to its analysis.
Evercores opinion did not address the relative merits of
the proposed merger as compared to other business or financial
strategies that might be available to LoopNet, nor did it
address the underlying business decision of LoopNet to engage in
the proposed merger. The Board determined, after consulting with
its advisors, that it would not be in the interests of
LoopNets stockholders to solicit interest from potential
acquirors other than CoStar with respect to the acquisition of
any or all of LoopNets capital stock or any business
combination or other extraordinary transaction involving
LoopNet, and Evercore did not solicit such interest.
Evercores opinion did not constitute a recommendation to
the Board or to any other persons in respect of the proposed
merger, including as to how any holder of shares of LoopNet
common stock should vote or act in respect of the merger.
Evercore expressed no opinion as to the price at which shares of
LoopNet or CoStar would trade at any time. Evercores
opinion noted that Evercore is not a legal,
45
regulatory, accounting or tax expert and that Evercore had
assumed the accuracy and completeness of assessments by LoopNet
and its advisors with respect to legal, regulatory, accounting
and tax matters.
Except as described above, the Board imposed no other
instructions or limitations on Evercore with respect to the
investigations made or the procedures followed by Evercore in
rendering its opinion. Evercores opinion was only one of
many factors considered by the Board in its evaluation of the
proposed merger and should not be viewed as determinative of the
views of the Board or LoopNet management with respect to the
proposed merger or the merger consideration payable in the
merger. The issuance of Evercores opinion was approved by
an opinion committee of Evercore.
Set forth below is a summary of the material financial analyses
reviewed by Evercore with the Board on April 27, 2011 in
connection with rendering its opinion. The following summary,
however, does not purport to be a complete description of the
analyses performed by Evercore. The order of the analyses
described and the results of these analyses do not represent
relative importance or weight given to these analyses by
Evercore. Except as otherwise noted, the following quantitative
information, to the extent that it is based on market data, is
based on market data as it existed on or before April 26,
2011 (the day prior to the Boards approval of the proposed
merger), and is not necessarily indicative of current market
conditions.
The following summary of financial analyses includes
information presented in tabular format. These tables must be
read together with the text of each summary in order to
understand fully the financial analyses. The tables alone do not
constitute a complete description of the financial analyses.
Considering the tables below without considering the full
narrative description of the financial analyses, including the
methodologies and assumptions underlying the analyses, could
create a misleading or incomplete view of Evercores
financial analyses.
For purposes of the analyses summarized below relating to
LoopNet, the implied per share merger consideration
refers to the $18.73 implied per share value of the merger
consideration reflecting the cash portion of the consideration
of $16.50 and the implied value of the stock portion of the
consideration of 0.03702 shares of CoStar common stock
based on the closing price of shares of CoStar common stock as
of April 26, 2011.
Historical
Trading Analysis
Evercore considered historical data with regard to (i) the
average closing stock prices of LoopNet common stock and CoStar
common stock as of April 26, 2011, the dates two years, one
year, six months, three months, two months and one month prior
to and including April 26, 2011 and (ii) the closing
stock prices of LoopNet common stock and CoStar common stock as
of April 26, 2011, the date of LoopNets initial
public offering and the dates two years, one year, six months,
three months, two months and one month prior to and including
April 26, 2011, the 52-week high and 52-week low as of
April 26, 2011 and the high since the LoopNet initial
public offering on June 7, 2006.
46
The following historical LoopNet common stock price analysis was
presented to the Board to provide it with background information
and perspective with respect to the historical share price of
LoopNet common stock relative to the implied per share merger
consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical Average
|
|
Premium/(Discount)
|
|
Historical Closing
|
|
Premium/(Discount)
|
|
|
Closing Prices of
|
|
Based on Implied
|
|
Prices of
|
|
Based on Implied
|
|
|
LoopNet
|
|
Per Share Merger
|
|
LoopNet
|
|
Per Share Merger
|
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Consideration
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Consideration
|
|
Current Price (4/26/11)
|
|
$
|
14.31
|
|
|
|
30.9
|
%
|
|
$
|
14.31
|
|
|
|
30.9
|
%
|
One Month
|
|
|
14.19
|
|
|
|
32.0
|
%
|
|
|
14.00
|
|
|
|
33.8
|
%
|
Two Month
|
|
|
13.43
|
|
|
|
39.4
|
%
|
|
|
11.94
|
|
|
|
56.9
|
%
|
Three Month
|
|
|
12.70
|
|
|
|
47.5
|
%
|
|
|
10.57
|
|
|
|
77.2
|
%
|
Six Month
|
|
|
11.84
|
|
|
|
58.2
|
%
|
|
|
10.97
|
|
|
|
70.7
|
%
|
One Year
|
|
|
11.64
|
|
|
|
61.0
|
%
|
|
|
11.82
|
|
|
|
58.5
|
%
|
Two Year
|
|
|
10.47
|
|
|
|
78.9
|
%
|
|
|
9.06
|
|
|
|
106.7
|
%
|
52-Week High (04/08/11)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15.10
|
|
|
|
24.0
|
%
|
52-Week Low (05/06/10)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8.50
|
|
|
|
120.4
|
%
|
High Since IPO (07/12/07)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26.37
|
|
|
|
(29.0
|
)%
|
IPO Price (06/06/06)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12.00
|
|
|
|
56.1
|
%
|
Evercore also noted that the intraday trading range for LoopNet
common stock for the 26-week period prior to and including
April 26, 2011 ranged from $9.94 to $15.10, and that the
intraday trading range for LoopNet common stock for the 52-week
period prior to and including April 26, 2011 ranged from
$8.50 to $15.10.
The following historical CoStar common stock price analysis was
presented to the Board to provide it with background information
and perspective with respect to the historical share price of
CoStar common stock relative to CoStars current share
price as of April 26, 2011:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Historical Average
|
|
Premium/
|
|
Historical Closing
|
|
Premium/
|
|
|
Closing Prices of
|
|
(Discount)
|
|
Prices of
|
|
(Discount)
|
|
|
CoStar
|
|
Based on Current
|
|
CoStar
|
|
Based on Current
|
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Share Price
|
|
Common Stock
|
|
Share Price
|
|
Current Price (4/26/11)
|
|
$
|
60.25
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
60.25
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Month
|
|
|
61.38
|
|
|
|
(1.8
|
)%
|
|
|
60.35
|
|
|
|
(0.2
|
)%
|
Two Month
|
|
|
59.43
|
|
|
|
1.4
|
%
|
|
|
57.23
|
|
|
|
5.3
|
%
|
Three Month
|
|
|
59.15
|
|
|
|
1.9
|
%
|
|
|
58.25
|
|
|
|
3.4
|
%
|
Six Month
|
|
|
57.03
|
|
|
|
5.6
|
%
|
|
|
50.25
|
|
|
|
19.9
|
%
|
One Year
|
|
|
50.26
|
|
|
|
19.9
|
%
|
|
|
44.90
|
|
|
|
34.2
|
%
|
Two Year
|
|
|
45.02
|
|
|
|
33.8
|
%
|
|
|
35.75
|
|
|
|
68.5
|
%
|
52-Week High (04/04/11)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64.06
|
|
|
|
(5.9
|
)%
|
52-Week Low (07/06/10)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37.50
|
|
|
|
60.7
|
%
|
Discounted
Cash Flow Analysis
Evercore performed a discounted cash flow analysis of LoopNet in
order to derive implied per share equity reference ranges for
LoopNet as of June 30, 2011 based on the implied present
value of LoopNets future cash flow. In this analysis,
Evercore calculated implied per share equity reference ranges
for LoopNet using the LoopNet management projections adjusted as
described below, based on the sum of the (i) implied
present values, using discount rates ranging from 10.0% to
12.0%, of LoopNets projected unlevered free cash flows for
the second half of calendar year 2011 and calendar years 2012
through 2016, and (ii) implied present values, using
discount rates ranging from 10.0% to 12.0%, of the terminal
value of LoopNet calculated based on selected perpetuity growth
rates of 3.0% to 5.0%. Evercore, using its professional judgment
and experience, derived the discount rate range based upon a
weighted average cost of capital calculation for LoopNet, as
well
47
as for companies identified below under the caption
Analysis of Select Publicly Traded Companies. This
analysis was performed on LoopNets combined business and
its core online commercial real estate business (excluding new
products in the LoopNet management projections), as discussed in
the section entitled Financial
Projections. In the tables below, the terms existing
business and consolidated business are used to
refer to analyses based on management projections of the future
performance of LoopNets core business and
combined business, respectively.
For purposes of its analysis, Evercore used the following
projected unlevered free cash flows, which were provided by
LoopNets management and were adjusted to include
stock-based compensation expense:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2H
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Projected Unlevered Free Cash Flow
|
|
2011E
|
|
|
2012E
|
|
|
2013E
|
|
|
2014E
|
|
|
2015E
|
|
|
2016E
|
|
|
|
(in millions)
|
|
|
Existing Business
|
|
$
|
7.5
|
|
|
$
|
19.2
|
|
|
$
|
24.6
|
|
|
$
|
31.1
|
|
|
$
|
39.9
|
|
|
$
|
47.8
|
|
New Products
|
|
$
|
(1.2
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.6
|
)
|
|
$
|
1.1
|
|
|
$
|
4.2
|
|
|
$
|
7.1
|
|
|
$
|
9.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidated Business
|
|
$
|
6.3
|
|
|
$
|
18.6
|
|
|
$
|
25.7
|
|
|
$
|
35.3
|
|
|
$
|
46.9
|
|
|
$
|
57.5
|
|
The analysis indicated the following implied per share equity
reference range for LoopNet, as compared to the implied per
share merger consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
Equity Reference
|
|
Equity Reference
|
|
|
Range for Consolidated
|
|
Range for Existing
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
LoopNet Business
|
|
LoopNet Business
|
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
$13.26 - $20.50
|
|
$11.85 - $17.88
|
|
$18.73
|
Although the discounted cash flow analysis is a widely used
valuation methodology, it necessarily relies on numerous
assumptions, including earnings growth rates, terminal values
and discount rates. As a result, it is not necessarily
indicative of LoopNets actual, present or future value or
results, which may be significantly more or less favorable than
suggested by analysis.
Present
Value of Implied Future Stock Price Analysis
Evercore calculated illustrative future stock prices of LoopNet
on December 31, 2015 by applying a forward multiple range
of 9.0x to 13.0x, based on a review of current and historical
trading multiples of LoopNet and companies identified below
under the caption Analysis of Select Publicly Traded
Companies, to estimated calendar year 2016 earnings before
interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock based
compensation and one-time, non-recurring expenses (which we
refer to as Adjusted EBITDA) of LoopNet based on the
LoopNet management projections, and adjusting the resulting
total enterprise value (TEV) by the estimated net
debt based on LoopNet management projections. These illustrative
future stock prices were discounted back to June 30, 2011,
using discount rates of 10.0% to 12.0%, taking into
consideration, among other things, a cost of equity calculation.
This analysis indicated the following implied per share equity
reference range for LoopNet, as compared to the implied per
share merger consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Reference
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Range for
|
|
|
Equity Reference
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Range for Existing
|
|
|
Merger
|
|
|
|
LoopNet Business
|
|
|
LoopNet Business
|
|
|
Consideration
|
|
|
2016E Forward Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
$14.81 - $21.52
|
|
|
|
$13.11 - $18.91
|
|
|
$
|
18.73
|
|
Analysis
of Select Publicly Traded Companies
In order to assess how the public market values shares of
similar publicly traded companies, Evercore reviewed and
compared specific financial and operating data relating to
LoopNet to that of a group of selected companies that Evercore
deemed to have certain characteristics that are similar to those
of LoopNet. Evercore noted, however, that none of the selected
publicly traded companies is identical or directly comparable to
LoopNet. As part of its analysis, Evercore calculated and
analyzed the multiple of TEV as of April 26, 2011 to
estimated 2011 revenue for the below publicly-traded companies,
as well as the ratio of TEV to estimated
48
2011 Adjusted EBITDA. Evercore calculated all multiples for the
selected companies based on closing share prices as of
April 26, 2011 for each respective company.
In addition to CoStar, the companies that Evercore deemed to
have certain characteristics similar to those of LoopNet were
the following:
|
|
|
Online Real Estate Information
Interval Leisure Group, Inc.
Stewart Information Services Corporation
Move, Inc.
Reis, Inc.
REA Group
|
|
Network Model
The Corporate Executive Board Company
DealerTrack Holdings, Inc.
The Advisory Board Company
Verisk Analytics, Inc.
|
Online Search/Marketplace/Lead Generation
Google Inc.
Amazon.com, Inc.
eBay Inc.
Yahoo! Inc.
IAC/InterActive Corp.
MercadoLibre, Inc.
Marchex, Inc.
|
|
Online Vertical Media
Monster Worldwide, Inc.
SEEK Limited
Dice Holdings, Inc.
The Knot Inc.
TechTarget, Inc.
QuinStreet, Inc.
Ancestry.com Inc.
WebMD Health Corp.
|
Real Estate Brokerages/Agents
CB Richard Ellis Group, Inc.
Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated
Grubb & Ellis Company
ZipRealty, Inc.
|
|
|
Multiples for the selected publicly-traded companies were based
on publicly available filings and financial data provided by
Wall Street equity research and FactSet. LoopNet financial
metrics for 2011 and 2012 financial forecasts were provided by
the management of LoopNet. The range of implied 2011 multiples
that Evercore calculated is summarized below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LoopNet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Based on
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Online
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied
|
|
|
LoopNet
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Search/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Per Share
|
|
|
(Based on
|
|
|
Online
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marketplace/
|
|
|
Online
|
|
|
Real Estate
|
|
|
|
Merger
|
|
|
Current
|
|
|
Real Estate
|
|
|
Network
|
|
|
Lead
|
|
|
Vertical
|
|
|
Brokerages/
|
|
Metric
|
|
Consideration)
|
|
|
Share Price)
|
|
|
Information
|
|
|
Model
|
|
|
Generation
|
|
|
Media
|
|
|
Agents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
|
Med.
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
|
Med.
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
|
Med.
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
|
Med.
|
|
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
|
Med.
|
|
TEV/2011E Revenue
|
|
|
9.0
|
x
|
|
|
6.4
|
x
|
|
|
3.0
|
x
|
|
|
2.7
|
x
|
|
|
3.1
|
x
|
|
|
2.4
|
x
|
|
|
4.4
|
x
|
|
|
3.5
|
x
|
|
|
4.1
|
x
|
|
|
3.6
|
x
|
|
|
1.1
|
x
|
|
|
1.1
|
x
|
TEV/2011E Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
27.6
|
x
|
|
|
19.6
|
x
|
|
|
13.0
|
x
|
|
|
12.8
|
x
|
|
|
11.9
|
x
|
|
|
11.8
|
x
|
|
|
16.0
|
x
|
|
|
10.3
|
x
|
|
|
13.1
|
x
|
|
|
12.2
|
x
|
|
|
12.6
|
x
|
|
|
12.6
|
x
|
Evercore then applied a range of selected multiples derived from
the selected publicly-traded companies of 3.0x to 6.5x in the
case of calendar year 2011E revenue, and 12.0x to 20.0x in the
case of calendar year 2011 Adjusted EBITDA, to the corresponding
financial data of LoopNet. This analysis indicated the following
implied per share equity reference ranges for LoopNet, as
compared to the implied per share merger consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Reference
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
Ranges for LoopNet
|
|
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
|
2011E Revenue
|
|
$
|
8.81 - $14.72
|
|
|
$
|
18.73
|
|
2011E Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
$
|
10.33 - $14.72
|
|
|
|
|
|
49
Analysis
of Historical Premiums Paid
Evercore reviewed the premiums paid in the acquisition of
U.S. public companies announced between January 1,
2006 and April 20, 2011 with transaction values between
$500 million and $1 billion, excluding acquisitions of
banks, bank holding companies, real estate investment trust
transactions and partial acquisitions. Using information from
Securities Data Corp., a data source that monitors and publishes
information on merger and acquisition transactions, premiums
paid were calculated as the consideration paid in each such
transaction over the closing market share prices of the target
companies one day, one week and 30 days prior to
transaction announcements which are summarized as follows:
All Transactions- January 1, 2006
April 20, 2011 (151 Transactions)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Day Prior
|
|
1 Week Prior
|
|
1 Month Prior
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
30.2
|
%
|
|
|
31.4
|
%
|
|
|
34.9
|
%
|
Median
|
|
|
26.6
|
%
|
|
|
28.6
|
%
|
|
|
29.7
|
%
|
All Transactions- July 1, 2009
April 20, 2011 (44 Transactions)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 Day Prior
|
|
1 Week Prior
|
|
1 Month Prior
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
36.6
|
%
|
|
|
36.3
|
%
|
|
|
41.5
|
%
|
Median
|
|
|
30.0
|
%
|
|
|
30.0
|
%
|
|
|
31.1
|
%
|
Evercore then applied a range of selected premiums derived from
the analysis of historical premiums paid of 25.0% to 40.0% to
LoopNets closing share price on April 26, 2011. This
analysis indicated the following implied per share equity
reference range for LoopNet, as compared to the implied per
share merger consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Reference Range
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
for LoopNet
|
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
25.0% to 40.0% Premium
|
|
$
|
17.89 - $20.03
|
|
|
$
|
18.73
|
|
Selected
Precedent Transactions Analysis
Evercore reviewed implied transaction data for 57 transactions
involving target companies that Evercore deemed to have certain
characteristics that are similar to those of LoopNet, although
Evercore noted that none of the selected transactions or the
selected companies that participated in the selected
transactions are directly comparable to the proposed merger. Of
the 57 transactions that Evercore reviewed, 25 involved targets
in the online media/ information industry and 32 involved
targets in the information/database industry.
Evercore reviewed transaction values in the selected
transactions, calculated as the purchase price paid for the
target companys equity, plus debt, preferred stock and
minority interests, less cash and cash equivalents, as
multiples, to the extent publicly available, of the last twelve
months (LTM) revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. Multiples
for the selected transactions were based on publicly available
information at the time of
50
announcement of the relevant transaction. The range of implied
multiples that Evercore calculated is summarized below:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Targets in the
|
|
|
Targets in the
|
|
|
|
Online Media/Information
|
|
|
Information/Database
|
|
|
|
Industry
|
|
|
Industry
|
|
|
TEV/LTM Revenue
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
7.0x
|
|
|
|
6.5x
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
4.0x
|
|
|
|
3.5x
|
|
Median
|
|
|
4.2x
|
|
|
|
3.2x
|
|
Low
|
|
|
1.2x
|
|
|
|
1.2x
|
|
TEV/LTM Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
High
|
|
|
34.4x
|
|
|
|
24.4x
|
|
Mean
|
|
|
21.1x
|
|
|
|
14.5x
|
|
Median
|
|
|
19.4x
|
|
|
|
13.5x
|
|
Low
|
|
|
12.0x
|
|
|
|
9.3x
|
|
Evercore then applied a range of selected multiples derived from
those transactions described above for the selected companies of
4.0x to 8.0x in the case of LTM revenue and 15.0x to 25.0x in
the case of LTM Adjusted EBITDA to the corresponding financial
data of LoopNet. This analysis indicated the following implied
per share equity reference ranges for LoopNet, as compared to
the implied per share merger consideration:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity Reference Ranges
|
|
|
Implied Per Share
|
|
|
|
for LoopNet
|
|
|
Merger Consideration
|
|
|
LTM Revenue
|
|
|
$10.19 - $16.64
|
|
|
$
|
18.73
|
|
LTM Adjusted EBITDA
|
|
|
$11.96 - $17.45
|
|
|
|
|
|
Research
Analyst Stock Price Targets
Evercore analyzed Wall Street equity research analyst estimates
of potential future value for common stock (commonly referred to
as price targets) of LoopNet based on publicly available equity
research published on LoopNet. These targets reflect each
analysts estimate of the future public market trading
price of LoopNet common stock and are not discounted to reflect
present values. Evercore noted that the range of undiscounted
equity analyst price targets of LoopNet common stock as of
April 26, 2011 ranged from $10.00 to $17.00 per share. In
connection with this analysis, Evercore also noted that the
$18.73 implied per share value of the merger consideration was
higher than the range of undiscounted equity analyst price
target range of LoopNet. The public market trading price targets
published by equity research analysts do not necessarily reflect
current market trading prices for LoopNet common stock and these
estimates are subject to uncertainties, including the future
financial performance of LoopNet and future market conditions.
General
In connection with the review of the proposed merger by the
Board, Evercore performed a variety of financial and comparative
analyses for purposes of rendering its opinion. The preparation
of a fairness opinion is a complex process and is not
necessarily susceptible to partial analysis or summary
description. Selecting portions of the analyses or of the
summary described above, without considering the analyses as a
whole, could create an incomplete view of the processes
underlying Evercores opinion. In arriving at its fairness
determination, Evercore considered the results of all the
analyses and did not draw, in isolation, conclusions from or
with regard to any one analysis or factor considered by it for
purposes of its opinion. Rather, Evercore made its determination
as to fairness on the basis of its experience and professional
judgment after considering the results of all the analyses. In
addition, Evercore may have considered various assumptions more
or less probable than other assumptions, so that the range of
valuations resulting from any particular analysis described
above should therefore not be taken to be Evercores view
of the value of LoopNet. No company
51
used in the above analyses as a comparison is directly
comparable to LoopNet or CoStar, and no transaction used is
directly comparable to the proposed merger. Further,
Evercores analyses involve complex considerations and
judgments concerning financial and operating characteristics and
other factors that could affect the acquisition, public trading
or other values of the companies or transactions used, including
judgments and assumptions with regard to industry performance,
general business, economic, market and financial conditions and
other matters, many of which are beyond the control of LoopNet
and CoStar.
Evercore prepared these analyses for the purpose of providing an
opinion to the Board as to the fairness, from a financial point
of view, of the merger consideration to be received by the
holders of shares of LoopNet common stock. These analyses do not
purport to be appraisals or to necessarily reflect the prices at
which the business or securities actually may be sold. Any
estimates contained in these analyses are not necessarily
indicative of actual future results, which may be significantly
more or less favorable than those suggested by such estimates.
Accordingly, estimates used in, and the results derived from,
Evercores analyses are inherently subject to substantial
uncertainty, and Evercore assumes no responsibility if future
results are materially different from those forecasted in such
estimates. The merger consideration to be received by the
holders of shares of LoopNet common stock pursuant to the merger
agreement was determined through arms-length negotiations
between LoopNet and CoStar and was approved by the Board.
Evercore did not recommend any specific merger consideration to
LoopNet or that any given merger consideration constituted the
only appropriate merger consideration.
Under the terms of Evercores engagement, LoopNet has
agreed to pay Evercore an aggregate cash fee equal to 1.2% of
the aggregate transaction value of the merger, $500,000 of which
became payable upon LoopNets request for a fairness
opinion, and the remainder of which will become payable if the
proposed merger is completed. Assuming the consummation of the
merger occurred on April 26, 2011, based on the closing
price of the CoStar common stock on April 26, 2011 and the
number of shares of LoopNet common stock, stock options and
restricted stock units outstanding as of April 26, 2011,
the cash fee payable upon consummation of the merger would be
$10.3 million. In addition, LoopNet agreed to reimburse
Evercores reasonable expenses and to indemnify Evercore
for certain liabilities arising out of its engagement. Evercore
may provide financial or other services to LoopNet or CoStar in
the future and in connection with any such services Evercore may
receive compensation.
In the ordinary course of business, Evercore or its affiliates
may actively trade the securities, or related derivative
securities, or financial instruments of LoopNet, CoStar and
their respective affiliates, for its own account and for the
accounts of its customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold
a long or short position in such securities or instruments.
Evercore and its affiliates have not for the last two years
provided investment banking services to CoStar and, other than
services provided to LoopNet in connection with the merger, the
Series A Preferred Stock financing and the contemplated
shareholder rights plan described in the section entitled
Background of the Merger, are not
currently and have not for the last two years provided
investment banking services to LoopNet.
LoopNet engaged Evercore to act as a financial advisor based on
its qualifications, experience and reputation. Evercore is an
internationally recognized investment banking firm and is
regularly engaged in the valuation of businesses in connection
with mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, competitive
biddings, private placements and valuations for corporate and
other purposes.
Financial
Projections
LoopNet does not as a matter of course make public projections
as to future performance, earnings or other results beyond the
current fiscal year due to the inherent unreliability of these
matters. However, LoopNet provided certain non-public financial
information to Evercore in its capacity as LoopNets
financial advisor, including projections by management of
LoopNets standalone financial performance for calendar
years 2011 through 2016. These projections included forecasts of
revenue and EBITDA related to (i) LoopNets business,
including projected contributions from both LoopNets
existing online commercial real estate marketplace business and
LoopNets new, development stage products (the
combined business), (ii) LoopNets
existing online commercial real estate marketplace business,
including the projected contribution from
52
LoopNets acquisitions of BizQuest and LandsofAmerica (the
core business), and (iii) LoopNets new,
development stage products (the new products). These
projections were in turn used by Evercore in performing the
discounted cash flow analysis and present value of implied
future stock price analysis described on pages 47 through
48 of this proxy statement/prospectus. Portions of this
projected financial information were also provided to CoStar. A
summary of these projections is set forth below.
The prospective financial information included in this proxy
statement/prospectus has been prepared by, and is the
responsibility of, LoopNets management. This projected
financial information was not prepared with a view toward public
disclosure and, accordingly, does not necessarily comply with
published guidelines of the SEC, the guidelines established by
the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants for
preparation and presentation of financial forecasts, or
generally accepted accounting principles. Ernst &
Young LLP, LoopNets outside auditors, have not examined,
compiled, or performed any procedures with respect to this
prospective financial information and do not express an opinion
or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. The summary
of these projections is not being included in this proxy
statement/prospectus to influence a LoopNet stockholders
decision whether to vote in favor of the proposal to approve the
merger agreement and the principal terms of the merger, but
because the projections represent an assessment by
LoopNets management of the future cash flows that were
used in Evercores financial analysis and on which the
Board relied in making its recommendation to LoopNets
stockholders.
The inclusion of the projections in this proxy
statement/prospectus should not be regarded as an indication
that LoopNet or any of its affiliates, advisors,
representatives, CoStar or any other recipient of this
information considered or consider the projections to be
predictive of actual future events, and the projections should
not be relied upon as such. None of LoopNet or any of its
affiliates, advisors, officers, directors or representatives can
give any assurance that actual results will not differ from
these projections. While presented with numeric specificity, the
assumptions upon which the projected financial information was
based necessarily involve judgments with respect to, among other
things, future economic and competitive conditions and financial
market conditions, which are difficult to predict accurately and
many of which are beyond LoopNets control. Important
factors that may affect actual results and result in the
projected results not being achieved include, but are not
limited to, the risks described in LoopNets most recent
annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC on
Forms 10-K
and 10-Q,
respectively, and in this proxy statement/prospectus under the
heading Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking
Information. The prospective financial information also
reflects assumptions as to certain business decisions that are
subject to change. As a result, actual results may differ
materially from those contained in the LoopNets
prospective financial information. Accordingly, there can be no
assurance that the unaudited prospective financial information
will be realized or that actual results will not be
significantly higher or lower than estimated.
None of LoopNet or any of its affiliates, advisors or
representatives undertakes any obligation to update or otherwise
revise or reconcile the projections to reflect circumstances
existing after the date such projections were generated or to
reflect the occurrence of future events even in the event that
any or all of the assumptions underlying the projections are
shown to be in error. LoopNet does not intend to make publicly
available any update or other revision to the projections,
except as required by law. None of LoopNet or any of its
affiliates, advisors, officers, directors or representatives has
made or makes any representation to any shareholder or other
person regarding the ultimate performance of LoopNet compared to
the information contained in the projections or that forecasted
results will be achieved. LoopNet has made no representation to
CoStar, in the merger agreement or otherwise, concerning the
projections.
LoopNet stockholders are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on the projected financial information included in this
proxy statement/prospectus.
53
Projected
Financial Information
(in millions)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Revenue
|
|
2011E
|
|
|
2012E
|
|
|
2013E
|
|
|
2014E
|
|
|
2015E
|
|
|
2016E
|
|
|
Core Business
|
|
$
|
83.8
|
|
|
$
|
102.6
|
|
|
$
|
123.4
|
|
|
$
|
147.5
|
|
|
$
|
174.4
|
|
|
$
|
204.0
|
|
New Products
|
|
$
|
1.8
|
|
|
$
|
6.0
|
|
|
$
|
11.8
|
|
|
$
|
20.0
|
|
|
$
|
29.4
|
|
|
$
|
39.2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined Business
|
|
$
|
85.6
|
|
|
$
|
108.6
|
|
|
$
|
135.2
|
|
|
$
|
167.4
|
|
|
$
|
203.8
|
|
|
$
|
243.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adjusted EBITDA(1)
|
|
2011E
|
|
|
2012E
|
|
|
2013E
|
|
|
2014E
|
|
|
2015E
|
|
|
2016E
|
|
|
Core Business
|
|
$
|
31.8
|
|
|
$
|
40.1
|
|
|
$
|
50.6
|
|
|
$
|
62.2
|
|
|
$
|
75.2
|
|
|
$
|
89.0
|
|
New Products
|
|
$
|
(4.0
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1.3
|
)
|
|
$
|
1.4
|
|
|
$
|
6.2
|
|
|
$
|
10.6
|
|
|
$
|
14.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined Business
|
|
$
|
27.8
|
|
|
$
|
38.8
|
|
|
$
|
52.0
|
|
|
$
|
68.5
|
|
|
$
|
85.8
|
|
|
$
|
103.5
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
The estimate of Adjusted EBITDA
represents an estimate of net income plus provision for income
tax expense, interest and other (expense) income, net,
depreciation and amortization and non-cash stock compensation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Projected Unlevered Free Cash Flow (In millions)
|
|
2011E
|
|
|
2012E
|
|
|
2013E
|
|
|
2014E
|
|
|
2015E
|
|
|
2016E
|
|
|
Core Business
|
|
$
|
23.9
|
|
|
$
|
28.8
|
|
|
$
|
34.8
|
|
|
$
|
41.9
|
|
|
$
|
51.5
|
|
|
$
|
60.3
|
|
New Products
|
|
$
|
(2.3
|
)
|
|
$
|
(0.6
|
)
|
|
$
|
1.1
|
|
|
$
|
4.2
|
|
|
$
|
7.1
|
|
|
$
|
9.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Combined Business
|
|
$
|
21.6
|
|
|
$
|
28.2
|
|
|
$
|
35.9
|
|
|
$
|
46.1
|
|
|
$
|
58.6
|
|
|
$
|
69.9
|
|
LOOPNET DOES NOT INTEND TO UPDATE OR OTHERWISE REVISE THE
LOOPNET PROJECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO REFLECT CIRCUMSTANCES
EXISTING AFTER THE DATE WHEN MADE OR TO REFLECT THE OCCURRENCE
OF FUTURE EVENTS, EVEN IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OR ALL OF THE
ASSUMPTIONS UNDERLYING THE LOOPNET PROJECTED FINANCIAL
INFORMATION ARE NO LONGER APPROPRIATE.
CoStars
Reasons for the Merger
CoStars reasons for entering into the merger agreement
include to:
|
|
|
|
|
increase scale, offer complementary services capabilities and
diversify CoStars client and geographic footprint;
|
|
|
|
double the size of CoStars paid subscriber base;
|
|
|
|
unite CoStars strength in researching and analyzing
commercial real estate with LoopNets complementary
strength in marketing commercial real estate properties;
|
|
|
|
offer widespread market coverage for customers ranging from
large, national brokerage and institutional market players to
small, local brokers and owners;
|
|
|
|
provide CoStars clients with expanded access to active
database listings; and
|
|
|
|
increase CoStars stockholder value through enhanced
revenue opportunities and cost saving strategies.
|
The board of directors of CoStar approved the merger agreement
after discussing with CoStars senior management a number
of factors, including those described above and the business,
results of operations, financial performance and condition,
strategic direction and prospects of LoopNet. The CoStar board
of directors did not find it useful to and did not attempt to
quantify, rank or otherwise assign weights to these factors. In
addition, the CoStar board of directors did not undertake to
make any specific determination as to whether any particular
factor, or any aspect of any particular factor, was favorable or
unfavorable to its ultimate determination, but rather the CoStar
board of directors conducted an overall analysis of the factors
described above, including discussions with CoStars
management and its financial and legal advisors. In considering
the factors described above, individual CoStar directors may
have given different weights to different information and
factors.
54
Interests
of Executive Officers and Directors of LoopNet in the Merger;
Change in Control Severance Payments.
In considering the recommendation of the Board with respect to
the merger, LoopNet stockholders should be aware that certain
executive officers and directors of LoopNet have interests in
the merger that may be different from, or in addition to, the
interests of LoopNet stockholders generally. The Board was aware
of the interests described below and considered them, among
other matters, when approving the merger agreement and
recommending that LoopNet stockholders vote to adopt the merger
agreement.
Each of LoopNets executive officers and non-employee
directors holds equity awards. Pursuant to the terms of the
applicable LoopNet equity plan and agreements, and subject to
the terms of the merger agreement, all such equity awards held
by LoopNets executive officers and non-employee directors
will become fully vested on the date of the closing of the
merger and will be canceled in exchange for cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock, depending on the type of award
and the exercise price of the award, if any. In general, such
awards will be treated the same as equity awards held by all
other LoopNets employees, as described in the section
titled The Merger Agreement Treatment of
Options and Restricted Stock Units. In addition, each of
LoopNets executive officers has an agreement with LoopNet
that provides for severance benefits, in the form of cash,
health benefits and accelerated vesting of equity, if the
executives employment is terminated in connection with
this transaction under the circumstances described below.
Change
in Control Severance Agreements with Executive
Officers
LoopNet entered into a change in control severance agreement
with each of its executive officers; in December 2008 with
respect to Messrs. Boyle, Byrne, Stumme, Greenman and
Warthen, and in September 2010 with respect to
Messrs. Handelsman, Saint and Smith, each as amended in
February 2011. The change in control severance agreements
provide that in the event that an executive officer is
terminated without cause or such executive
terminates employment for good reason (each as
defined below) at any time during the period commencing two
months prior to a change in control of LoopNet and ending twelve
months following a change in control of LoopNet, which, as
defined in the agreements, would include the consummation of the
merger, the executives are entitled to certain severance
benefits from LoopNet or any successor to LoopNet. The benefits
are conditioned upon the execution of a release and the
executives agreement to continue to be bound by the
proprietary information and inventions agreement previously
executed by the executive which, together, include the
executives agreement (i) to continue to maintain the
confidentiality of all of LoopNets confidential and
proprietary information, (ii) not to make any statement
that disparages LoopNet or any of its affiliates or its or their
products, services, policies, business practices, employees,
executives, officers or directors, and (iii) not to solicit
any employees or customers of LoopNet for a period of twelve
months following termination.
Under the change in control severance agreements,
cause means (i) any act of personal dishonesty
taken by the executive in connection with his responsibilities
as an employee which is intended to result in substantial
personal enrichment of the executive and is reasonably likely to
result in material harm to LoopNet, (ii) the
executives conviction of a felony, (iii) a willful
act by the executive which constitutes misconduct and is
materially injurious to LoopNet, or (iv) continued willful
violations by the executive of the executives obligations
to LoopNet after the executive has received a written demand for
performance from LoopNet which describes the basis for the
LoopNets belief that the executive has not substantially
performed his duties; and good reason means the
occurrence of any of the following: (i) without the
executives express written consent, a material reduction
of the executives duties, title, authority or
responsibilities relative to the executives duties, title,
authority or responsibilities in effect immediately prior to the
change in control; (ii) a reduction by LoopNet of the
executives base salary or bonus opportunity as in effect
immediately prior to such reduction; (iii) a material
reduction by LoopNet in the kind or level of employee benefits
to which the executive is entitled immediately prior to such
reduction with the result that the executives overall
benefits package is materially reduced; (iv) without the
executives express written consent, the relocation of the
executive to a facility or a location more than five
(5) miles from his current facility and more than fifty
55
(50) miles from the executives current residence; or
(v) the failure of LoopNet to obtain the assumption of the
change in control severance agreement by a successor.
The severance benefits include (1) a lump sum amount
payable in cash equal to one times the sum of (a) the
executives annual base salary in effect at the time of the
termination and (b) the average of the annual bonuses paid
to such executive over the two most recently completed fiscal
years prior to the termination; (2) payment of the premiums
for any continuation of health benefits for the executive and
the executives spouse and dependents for twelve months
following the date of the executives termination such that
the executive will continue to pay the same cost for health
benefits as the executive paid immediately prior to termination
or, if LoopNet cannot provide such health benefits for any
reason, a lump sum amount sufficient to enable the executive to
purchase such health benefits from a third party as the same
cost to the executive for such health benefits on an after-tax
basis as the executive paid immediately prior to termination;
(3) full acceleration of any unvested equity awards upon
termination, excluding equity awards with performance-based
vesting conditions; and (4) if necessary, the extension of
the post-termination exercise period of any outstanding option
to provide that the executive will have eighteen months
following the termination date to exercise the options. The
vesting acceleration of equity awards subject to
performance-based vesting is subject to the terms of the
respective performance-based equity awards agreements, which
provide the following: one-third (1/3) of the underlying shares
shall accelerate and vest if a change in control occurs prior to
February 11, 2011, two-thirds (2/3) of the underlying
shares shall accelerate and vest if a change in control occurs
prior to February 11, 2012, and 100% of the underlying
shares shall accelerate and vest if a change in control occurs
prior to February 11, 2013. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
as discussed above, pursuant to the terms of the applicable
LoopNet equity plan and agreements, and subject to the terms of
the merger agreement, all outstanding equity awards, including
equity awards subject to performance-based vesting, will become
fully vested on the date of the closing of the merger.
If the benefits under each change in control severance
agreement, including but not limited to accelerated vesting of
equity awards, would trigger a federal excise tax based on
Internal Revenue Code Section 280G, then the total benefits
paid to the executive under the agreement will be reduced if,
and to the extent, such reduction would result in the executive
retaining a larger amount on an after-tax basis (taking into
account Internal Revenue Code Sections 280G and
4999) than if the executive had received the total benefit.
LoopNet currently estimates that no such reduction would be made
to the benefits receivable by any of its executive officers upon
termination in connection with this transaction.
Change
in Control Severance Payments
The following table sets forth the value of the benefits under
the change in control severance agreements that would be
received by each individual who has a change in control
severance agreement and who has served as an executive officer
at any time since the beginning of the last fiscal year,
assuming the merger closes and the executives employment
is terminated on May 27, 2011. While this table includes
all executive officers, LoopNet stockholders are only being
asked to cast an advisory vote to approve the agreements and
understandings of LoopNet and its named executive officers
involving change in control severance payments. LoopNets
named executive officers are Richard J. Boyle, Jr., Thomas
P. Byrne, Brent Stumme, Frederick G. Saint and Bryan D. Smith.
56
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pension/
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tax
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash
|
|
|
Equity
|
|
|
NQDC
|
|
|
Perquisites/
|
|
|
Reimbursement
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
($)(1)
|
|
|
($)(10)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
Benefits($)(19)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
($)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard J. Boyle, Jr.
|
|
|
542,500
|
(2)
|
|
|
8,058,534
|
(11)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,763
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8,627,797
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brent Stumme
|
|
|
417,500
|
(3)
|
|
|
4,972,849
|
(12)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,763
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,417,112
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thomas P. Byrne
|
|
|
472,500
|
(4)
|
|
|
8,725,483
|
(13)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,763
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,224,746
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason Greenman
|
|
|
362,500
|
(5)
|
|
|
4,661,923
|
(14)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,763
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,051,186
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wayne Warthen
|
|
|
350,500
|
(6)
|
|
|
4,661,923
|
(15)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26,763
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,039,186
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael J. Handelsman
|
|
|
272,500
|
(7)
|
|
|
4,214,044
|
(16)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11,599
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,498,143
|
|
|
|
|
|
Frederick G. Saint
|
|
|
304,750
|
(8)
|
|
|
4,424,188
|
(17)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,418
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,748,356
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bryan D. Smith
|
|
|
266,250
|
(9)
|
|
|
4,328,894
|
(18)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17,984
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,613,128
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
The payments set forth in this column would be received upon the
executives double-trigger termination without
cause or resignation for good reason that occurs during the
period beginning two months prior to the closing of the merger
and ending twelve months following the closing of the merger.
These payments are equal to (x) the executive
officers annual base salary in effect as of May 27,
2011 plus (y) the average of the annual bonuses paid to
such executive over LoopNets last two fiscal years that
ended prior to May 27, 2011. |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
Represents Mr. Boyles annual base salary of $350,000
plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to Mr. Boyle
over LoopNets last two fiscal years of $192,500. |
|
(3) |
|
Represents Mr. Stummes annual base salary of $270,000
plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to Mr. Stumme
over LoopNets last two fiscal years of $147,500. |
|
(4) |
|
Represents Mr. Byrnes annual base salary of $285,000
plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to Mr. Byrne
over LoopNets last two fiscal years of $187,500. |
|
(5) |
|
Represents Mr. Greenmans annual base salary of
$245,000 plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to
Mr. Greenman over LoopNets last two fiscal years of
$117,500. |
|
(6) |
|
Represents Mr. Warthens annual base salary of
$240,000 plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to
Mr. Warthen over LoopNets last two fiscal years of
$110,500. |
|
(7) |
|
Represents Mr. Handelsmans annual base salary of
$205,000 plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to
Mr. Handelsman over LoopNets last two fiscal years of
$67,500. |
|
(8) |
|
Represents Mr. Saints annual base salary of $231,000
plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to Mr. Saint
over LoopNets last two fiscal years of $73,750. |
|
(9) |
|
Represents Mr. Smiths annual base salary of $215,000
plus the average of the annual bonuses paid to Mr. Smith
over LoopNets last two fiscal years of $51,250. |
|
|
|
(10) |
|
The payments set forth in this column would be received upon a
closing of the merger (i.e., they are single-trigger
benefits). The value of the portion of outstanding stock options
and restricted stock units, or RSUs, that would receive
accelerated vesting based on a closing date of May 27, 2011
is based on a per share value of the merger consideration of
$19.00, equal to the sum of $16.50 plus $2.50, which is the
value of 0.03702 shares of CoStar common stock based on the
$67.46 average closing price of CoStar common stock on Nasdaq
for the five days ending on May 4, 2011, less the
applicable per share exercise price in the case of accelerated
stock options. |
|
|
|
(11) |
|
Represents $5,208,534 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,850,000 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Boyle. |
|
|
|
(12) |
|
Represents $2,906,599 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,066,250 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Stumme. |
|
|
|
(13) |
|
Represents $4,996,733 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $3,728,750 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Byrne. |
|
|
|
(14) |
|
Represents $2,643,173 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,018,750 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Greenman. |
57
|
|
|
(15) |
|
Represents $2,643,173 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,018,750 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Warthen. |
|
|
|
(16) |
|
Represents $1,744,044 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,470,000 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Handelsman. |
|
|
|
(17) |
|
Represents $1,776,063 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,648,125 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Saint. |
|
|
|
(18) |
|
Represents $1,763,894 attributable to the value of accelerated
stock options and $2,565,000 attributable to the value of
accelerated RSUs held by Mr. Smith. |
|
|
|
(19) |
|
The benefits set forth in this column would be received upon the
executives double-trigger termination without
cause or resignation for good reason that occurs during the
period beginning two months prior to the closing of the merger
and ending twelve months following the closing of the merger.
The value of these benefits is equal to the estimated twelve
month continuation of health benefits for the executive officer
and his dependents following May 27, 2011. |
Payment
for Outstanding Equity Awards for Executive Officers and
Directors; Other Equity Holdings
Executive Officers Equity Holdings. Each
of LoopNets executive officers holds equity awards in the
form of stock options and restricted stock units
(RSUs), including performance-based equity awards.
As with stock options held by all other employees, under the
terms of LoopNets applicable equity plan and the stock
option and RSU agreements with the executive officers, all stock
options and RSUs held by the executive officers will become
fully vested on the date of the closing of the merger. Pursuant
to the merger agreement, each share subject to all such equity
awards, other than one-third (1/3) of the unvested
performance-based stock options and one-third (1/3) of the
unvested performance-based RSUs held by each executive, will be
canceled in exchange for (i) $16.50 in cash, without
interest, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of CoStar common
stock, less the exercise price per share in the case of stock
options. Each share subject to the remaining one-third (1/3) of
the unvested performance-based stock options and one-third (1/3)
of the unvested performance-based RSUs will be canceled in
exchange for that number of shares of CoStar common stock equal
to the per share consideration they would have otherwise
received for those equity awards, less the exercise price per
share in the case of stock options, based on the market price of
CoStar common stock at closing, subject to CoStars right
to instead pay cash in the event the number of shares required
to be issued pursuant to the foregoing would require CoStar to
issue an aggregate number of shares of CoStar common stock that
exceeds 2.25 million shares. The following table sets forth
the intrinsic value of the acceleration of unvested stock
options and RSUs held by LoopNets executive officers, as
well as the intrinsic value of any vested stock options and
other shares held by such executive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accelerated
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vesting of
|
|
|
Accelerated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accelerated
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
Unvested
|
|
|
Vesting of
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vesting of
|
|
|
Accelerated
|
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
Unvested
|
|
|
Vested
|
|
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Unvested Stock
|
|
|
Vesting of
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
Performance
|
|
|
Stock
|
|
|
Shares
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
Options
|
|
|
Unvested RSUs
|
|
|
Options
|
|
|
RSUs
|
|
|
Options
|
|
|
Owned
|
|
|
Value
|
|
Name
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$(1)
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
Richard J. Boyle, Jr.
|
|
|
2,634,984
|
|
|
|
570,000
|
|
|
|
2,573,550
|
|
|
|
2,280,000
|
|
|
|
7,320,266
|
|
|
|
16,687,586
|
|
|
|
32,066,386
|
|
Brent Stumme
|
|
|
1,552,099
|
|
|
|
641,250
|
|
|
|
1,354,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
2,961,518
|
|
|
|
3,544,982
|
|
|
|
11,479,349
|
|
Thomas P. Byrne
|
|
|
2,694,083
|
|
|
|
1,448,750
|
|
|
|
2,302,650
|
|
|
|
2,280,000
|
|
|
|
5,916,499
|
|
|
|
3,392,260
|
|
|
|
18,034,242
|
|
Jason Greenman
|
|
|
1,288,673
|
|
|
|
593,750
|
|
|
|
1,354,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
2,557,290
|
|
|
|
6,376,172
|
|
|
|
13,595,385
|
|
Wayne Warthen
|
|
|
1,288,673
|
|
|
|
593,750
|
|
|
|
1,354,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
2,457,007
|
|
|
|
6,038,105
|
|
|
|
13,157,035
|
|
Michael J. Handelsman
|
|
|
563,544
|
|
|
|
1,045,000
|
|
|
|
1,180,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
947,226
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,161,270
|
|
Frederick G. Saint
|
|
|
595,563
|
|
|
|
1,223,125
|
|
|
|
1,180,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,424,188
|
|
Bryan D. Smith
|
|
|
583,394
|
|
|
|
1,140,000
|
|
|
|
1,180,500
|
|
|
|
1,425,000
|
|
|
|
1,331,804
|
|
|
|
227,829
|
|
|
|
5,888,528
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Based on a per share value of the
merger consideration of $19.00, equal to the sum of $16.50 plus
$2.50, which is the value of 0.03702 shares of CoStar
common stock based on the $67.46 average closing price of CoStar
common stock on Nasdaq for the five days ending on May 4,
2011, less the applicable per share exercise price for stock
options.
|
58
Non-Employee Director Equity Holdings. Under
the terms of LoopNets director compensation plan,
LoopNets applicable equity plan and the stock option
agreements with directors, each share subject to stock options
held by non-employee directors will become fully vested on the
date of the closing of the merger and, pursuant to the merger
agreement, will be canceled in exchange for (i) $16.50 in
cash, without interest, and (ii) 0.03702 shares of
CoStar common stock, less the exercise price per share. Stock
options with an exercise price higher than the total per share
value of the merger consideration will be cancelled at the
effective time of the merger for no consideration. The following
table sets forth the intrinsic value of the acceleration of the
unvested stock options held by LoopNets non-employee
directors, as well as the intrinsic value of any vested stock
options and other shares held by such director.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accelerated
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vesting
|
|
Value of
|
|
Value of
|
|
|
|
|
of Unvested
|
|
Vested
|
|
Other
|
|
Total
|
|
|
Options
|
|
Stock Options
|
|
Shares Owned
|
|
Value
|
Name
|
|
$(1)
|
|
$(1)
|
|
$(1)
|
|
$
|
|
William Byrnes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
383,523
|
|
|
|
285,000
|
|
|
|
668,523
|
|
Dennis Chookaszian
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
383,523
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
383,523
|
|
James T. Farrell(2)(3)
|
|
|
93,744
|
|
|
|
274,428
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
368,172
|
|
Noel Fenton(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
262,815
|
|
|
|
781,831
|
|
|
|
1,044,646
|
|
Scott Ingraham
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
383,523
|
|
|
|
167,200
|
|
|
|
550,723
|
|
Thomas Unterman(3)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
262,815
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
262,815
|
|
|
|
|
(1)
|
|
Based on a per share value of the
merger consideration of $19.00, equal to the sum of $16.50 plus
$2.50, which is the value of 0.03702 shares of CoStar
common stock based on the $67.46 average closing price of CoStar
common stock on Nasdaq for the five days ending on May 4,
2011, less the applicable per share exercise price for stock
options. Stock options with an exercise price higher than the
total per share value of the merger consideration
(underwater stock options) will be canceled at the
effective time of the merger for no consideration. These
individuals would have the following underwater stock options
(vested and unvested) that would be canceled for no payment:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name
|
|
Number of Shares Subject to Underwater Stock Options
|
|
William Byrnes
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
Dennis Chookaszian
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
Noel Fenton
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
Scott Ingraham
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
Thomas Unterman
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Pursuant to an agreement between
Mr. Farrell and Calera Capital Advisors, L.P.,
Mr. Farrell has ceded all beneficial ownership over options
granted to him as a director of LoopNet to Calera Capital
Advisors, L.P.
|
|
(3)
|
|
Does not include shares held by
entities with which Messrs. Farrell, Fenton and Unterman
are associated. See the section titled Common Stock
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management of
LoopNets proxy statement on Schedule 14A regarding
its 2011 annual meeting filed with the SEC on April 4, 2011
for information regarding such shares.
|
Indemnification;
Directors and Officers Insurance
The merger agreement provides that for a period of six years
after the effective time of the merger and to the fullest extent
permitted by law or provided under LoopNets certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or in an agreement between LoopNet and
its current or former officers and directors, the surviving
corporation will indemnify, and provide expenses as they are
incurred to, the current or former officers and directors of
LoopNet with respect to acts or omissions occurring at or prior
to the effective time, provided that any person to whom expenses
are advanced will provide an undertaking to repay any advances
made if a court determines the person was not entitled to
indemnification. The merger agreement further provides that,
prior to the effective time of the merger, LoopNet may purchase
a six-year tail officers and directors
liability insurance policy on terms and conditions no less
favorable in the aggregate than LoopNets existing
directors and officers liability insurance. If
LoopNet cannot purchase this tail policy for an
aggregate premium of 200% or less of the annual premium paid by
LoopNet for such existing insurance, LoopNet may only purchase
as much insurance coverage as can be obtained within the 200%
cap unless it receives written consent from
59
CoStar to exceed that cap. The surviving corporation will pay
all expenses, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel,
that an indemnified person may incur in enforcing the indemnity
and other obligations described above, and the merger agreement
provides that the foregoing rights of each indemnified person
will survive the effective time of the merger and are
enforceable by each indemnified person.
Certain
Terms of the Series A Preferred Stock
Background. In March 2009, LoopNet issued
50,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, with an
initial conversion price of $6.72 per share, for an aggregate of
$50.0 million in gross proceeds. All 50,000 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock remain outstanding. Pursuant to
the voting agreement (see the section entitled The Voting
Agreement), the holders of all outstanding shares of
Series A Preferred Stock have delivered contingent
conversion notices to LoopNet pursuant to which such shares will
be converted into LoopNet common stock immediately prior to, and
contingent upon, the completion of the merger.
Treatment of Preferred Stock in the
Merger. Based on the $6.72 conversion price of
the Series A Preferred Stock, each Series A share will
be converted into 148.80952 shares of LoopNet common stock.
The per share consideration for the Series A Preferred
Stock in the merger represents the common stock equivalent
consideration for each share of Series A Preferred Stock.
Specifically, the consideration for each share of Series A
Preferred Stock, if any, outstanding immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger, will be a unit consisting of
(i) $2,455.36 in cash, without interest and less applicable
withholding tax, and (ii) 5.5089 shares of CoStar
common stock.
Summary of Terms of Preferred Stock. Each
share of LoopNets Series A Preferred Stock is:
|
|
|
|
|
convertible at the election of the holder at any time into a
number of shares of LoopNet common stock equal to the quotient
of $1,000 divided by the conversion price then in effect (which
equals a conversion ratio of 148.80952 based on the $6.72
conversion price of the Series A Preferred Stock);
|
|
|
|
entitled to vote generally with LoopNet common stock on an
as-converted basis on all matters (including the merger) other
than those matters on which the Series A Preferred Stock
are entitled to vote as a separate class by law;
|
|
|
|
entitled to a consent right on certain actions of LoopNet,
including mergers, consolidations or other transactions that
would impair certain rights of the holder, which the holders of
the Series A Preferred Stock waived in the voting agreement;
|
|
|
|
senior to LoopNet common stock upon a liquidation of LoopNet, as
described in greater detail below under
Liquidation Preference;
|
|
|
|
if LoopNet common stock closes at $16.80 or greater for twenty
consecutive trading or reporting days, redeemable in cash at the
option of LoopNet for 101% of the sum of $1,000 and any declared
but unpaid dividends, but only if LoopNet redeems all of the
outstanding Series A Preferred Stock;
|
|
|
|
subject to certain conditions, entitled at the option of its
holder to the mandatory repurchase by LoopNet for 101% of the
sum of $1,000 and any declared but unpaid dividends upon
qualifying mergers (such as the proposed merger with CoStar),
consolidation, acquisitions or other business combinations, as
described in greater detail below under
Mandatory Offer to Repurchase.
|
Liquidation Preference. The holders of the
Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to receive
liquidation payments in preference to the holders of LoopNet
common stock upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation,
dissolution or winding up of LoopNet. In particular, they are
entitled to an aggregate liquidation preference equal to the
greater of $50.0 million plus any accrued and unpaid
dividends or the amount that such holders would receive had they
converted into LoopNet common stock.
Adjustment for Merger or Reorganization. In
case of any consolidation or merger of LoopNet with or into
another corporation (except one in which the holders of LoopNet
capital stock immediately prior to such consolidation or merger
continue to hold a majority of the voting power of the capital
stock of the surviving or acquiring corporation (on a fully
diluted basis) immediately after such consolidation or merger),
each share
60
of Series A Preferred Stock that remains outstanding
immediately prior to the effective date of such consolidation or
merger shall be convertible (or shall be converted into or
exchanged for a security which shall be convertible) into the
kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or
property to which a holder of the number of shares of LoopNet
common stock deliverable upon conversion of one share of
Series A Preferred Stock would have been entitled upon such
consolidation or merger (the conversion option);
provided, however, that should any holder of
Series A Preferred Stock notify LoopNet not later than
twenty business days after the first public announcement by
LoopNet that it has entered into a definitive agreement with
respect to such consolidation or merger that such holder does
not wish for one or more of its shares to be treated in the
manner of the conversion option, such holder shall, at the sole
option of the third party acquiror, upon the effectiveness of
the consolidation or merger (i) receive, without interest,
cash in an amount equal to the number of shares of LoopNet
common stock into which the number of shares of Series A
Preferred Stock designated in such holders notice would
have been converted effective immediately prior to the effective
date of the consolidation or merger multiplied by the fair
market value of the consideration per share of LoopNet common
stock issuable to each other holder of shares of LoopNet common
stock in connection with such consolidation or merger, which
fair market value, (1) in the case of publicly-traded
equity securities to be issued in the consolidation or merger
the amount of which is to be determined based on a fixed
exchange ratio, shall be equal to the average closing price of
such securities during the twenty consecutive trading days
before and excluding the effective date of the consolidation or
merger, as reported by the primary exchange or quotation system
on which such securities are traded, (2) in the case of
publicly-traded equity securities to be issued in the
consolidation or merger the amount of which is to be determined
with reference to an average trading price per share for such
equity securities determined over a specified time period before
the effective date, shall be equal to such average trading
price, (3) in the case of any other securities or property,
shall be valued using customary commercial valuation methods
without giving any effect to discounts for illiquidity,
restrictions on transfer or minority ownership status, and
(4) in the case of publicly-traded equity securities or
other securities or property to be issued in the consolidation
or merger together with cash, shall be the sum of the actual
cash amount plus the fair market value of such equity securities
determined as provided in the preceding clauses (1), (2) or
(3), as applicable; or (ii) be convertible into the kind
and amount of shares of stock or other securities of the third
party acquiror with rights, privileges and preferences
commensurate with the rights, preferences and privileges of the
Series A Preferred Stock. In the voting agreement, the
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock waived these
provisions of the Series A Certificate.
Mandatory Offer to Repurchase. If certain
change of control transactions occur, such as the merger,
LoopNet is required to make an offer to repurchase up to all of
the then outstanding shares of the Series A Preferred Stock
at the option and election of the holders thereof. LoopNet must
pay the repurchase price in cash. The aggregate cash repurchase
price is 101% of the sum of the $50.0 million and any
accrued and unpaid dividends. In the voting agreement, the
holders of the Series A Preferred Stock waived this
provision of the Series A Certificate.
Material
U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences of the Merger
The following are the material U.S. federal income
consequences of the merger to U.S. Holders (as
defined below) of LoopNet common stock. This summary is based on
the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the Code), U.S. Treasury regulations
promulgated thereunder, judicial authorities and administrative
rulings, all as in effect as of the date of the proxy
statement/prospectus and all of which are subject to change,
possibly with retroactive effect.
As used herein, the term U.S. Holder means, for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, a beneficial owner of
LoopNet common stock that is:
|
|
|
|
|
an individual citizen or resident of the United States;
|
|
|
|
a corporation, or other entity taxable as a corporation for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, created or organized in
or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the
District of Columbia;
|
|
|
|
an estate or trust the income of which is subject to
U.S. federal income taxation regardless of its source.
|
61
This discussion does not address the consequences of the merger
under the tax laws of any state, local or foreign taxing
jurisdiction and does not address tax considerations applicable
to holders of Series A Preferred Stock, stock options,
restricted stock units or to holders who receive cash pursuant
to the exercise of appraisal rights. In addition, it does not
describe all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to a
holder in light of the holders particular circumstances,
including alternative minimum tax consequences or tax
consequences to holders subject to special rules, such as:
|
|
|
|
|
certain financial institutions;
|
|
|
|
insurance companies;
|
|
|
|
dealers or brokers in securities;
|
|
|
|
tax-exempt organizations;
|
|
|
|
former citizens or former long-term residents of the United
States;
|
|
|
|
persons whose shares of LoopNet or CoStar common stock are not
held as capital assets for tax purposes;
|
|
|
|
persons whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar;
|
|
|
|
persons who at the time of the merger already own, actually or
constructively, shares of CoStar common stock;
|
|
|
|
persons who hold LoopNet common stock or CoStar common stock as
part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction; or
|
|
|
|
persons who acquired LoopNet common stock pursuant to the
exercise of compensatory options or otherwise as compensation.
|
If an entity or arrangement that is treated as a partnership for
U.S. federal income tax purposes holds LoopNet or CoStar
common stock, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a
partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and
the activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding LoopNet
or CoStar common stock and partners therein should consult their
own tax advisors.
This discussion is not a complete analysis or description of all
potential U.S. federal income tax consequences of the
merger. This discussion does not address any foreign, state or
local tax consequences of the merger or the ownership and
disposition of CoStar common stock. Accordingly,
LoopNets stockholders are strongly urged to consult their
own tax advisors to determine the particular U.S. federal,
state or local or foreign income or other tax consequences to
them of the merger and of owning and disposing of CoStar common
stock.
Tax
Consequences of the Merger
Based on the relative values of the cash and shares of CoStar
common stock to be received in the merger, it is expected, and
this discussion assumes, that the merger will be treated as a
taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
In general, a U.S. Holder will recognize capital gain or
loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes on the exchange
of LoopNet common stock for CoStar common stock and cash in an
amount equal to the difference, if any, between (i) the sum
of the amount of cash (including cash received in lieu of a
fractional share of CoStar common stock) and the fair market
value of the CoStar common stock received on the date of the
exchange and (ii) the U.S. Holders tax basis in
the LoopNet common stock surrendered in the exchange. Gain or
loss will be determined separately for each block of LoopNet
common stock (i.e., shares acquired at the same cost in a
single transaction) exchanged for CoStar common stock and cash
pursuant to the merger. Such gain or loss will be long-term
capital gain or loss if the U.S. Holders holding
period for such LoopNet common stock is more than one year on
the date of the exchange. Long-term capital gains of individuals
are currently generally eligible for reduced rates of taxation.
The deductibility of capital losses is subject to certain
limitations.
62
A U.S. Holder will have a tax basis in the CoStar common
stock received equal to its fair market value on the date of the
exchange, and the U.S. Holders holding period with
respect to such CoStar common stock will begin on the day after
the date of the exchange.
Backup
Withholding and Information Reporting
Information returns will generally be filed with the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) in connection with payments to
U.S. Holders pursuant to the merger. Backup withholding at
a rate of 28% may apply to amounts paid in the merger to a
U.S. Holder, unless the U.S. Holder furnishes a
correct taxpayer identification number and certifies that the
U.S. Holder is not subject to backup withholding on the
substitute
Form W-9
or successor form included in the letter of transmittal to be
delivered following the completion of the merger.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld
under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund
or credit against U.S. federal income tax liability,
provided the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Regulatory
Matters
Under the HSR Act and the rules promulgated thereunder, CoStar
and LoopNet cannot complete the merger until they notify and
furnish information to the Federal Trade Commission and the
Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and
specified waiting period requirements are satisfied. CoStar and
LoopNet filed the notification and report forms under the HSR
Act with the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division
on May 31, 2011, as a result of which the waiting period
would be expected to expire by June 30, 2011, unless
otherwise terminated or extended by the antitrust authorities.
While LoopNet has no reason to believe it will not be possible
to obtain regulatory approvals in a timely manner and without
the imposition of burdensome conditions, there is no certainty
that these approvals will be obtained within the period of time
contemplated by the merger agreement or on conditions that would
not be detrimental. For example, at any time before or after
completion of the merger, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission
or the Antitrust Division could take such action under the
antitrust laws as it deems necessary or desirable in the public
interest, including seeking to enjoin the consummation of the
merger or seeking divestiture of substantial assets of CoStar or
LoopNet. Private parties may also bring actions under the
antitrust laws under certain circumstances.
Under the merger agreement, both LoopNet and CoStar have agreed
to use reasonable best efforts to take or cause to be taken all
actions to obtain all regulatory and governmental approvals
necessary to complete the merger. Notwithstanding that
agreement, the merger agreement does not require LoopNet or
CoStar to take any divestiture action that is not conditioned
upon consummation of the merger. Additionally, CoStar is not
required to take any action involving CoStar businesses or
assets in order to obtain the approval of a government authority
unless such approval could not be obtained by an action to which
CoStar is required or obliged to agree involving solely LoopNet
businesses or assets. CoStar is also not required to take any
actions which, individually or in the aggregate, would
constitute a substantial detriment (as defined in
the section entitled The Merger Agreement
Reasonable Best Efforts to Complete the Merger; Other
Agreements).
CoStar has agreed to pay LoopNet a termination fee of
$51.6 million if the merger agreement is terminated by
either party in the event necessary antitrust approval is not
obtained and certain other conditions are satisfied, as
described in greater detail below under The Merger
Agreement Termination of the Merger
Agreement.
Voting
Agreement
In connection with the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement, LoopNets directors and certain of
LoopNets executive officers and significant stockholders
entered into the voting agreement with CoStar and LoopNet and
have agreed, in their capacities as LoopNet stockholders, to,
among other things, vote all shares of LoopNets capital
stock beneficially owned by them in favor of adoption of the
merger agreement and any related proposal in furtherance thereof
and against any proposal made in opposition to the
63
merger, in each case, subject to the terms and conditions of
the voting agreement. As of the record date, the directors,
executive officer and significant stockholders who signed the
voting agreement beneficially owned approximately 32% of the
total outstanding shares of LoopNets common stock
(including the shares underlying the Series A Preferred
Stock but excluding shares issuable upon exercise of options
held by such stockholders).
The following summarizes the material terms of the voting
agreement. This summary is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the voting agreement, which is attached as
Annex B to this proxy statement/prospectus. We encourage
you to read the form of voting agreement in its entirety.
Pursuant to the voting agreement, the signing directors,
executive officers and significant stockholders have agreed to
vote (i) in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement
and in favor of any related proposal in furtherance thereof;
(ii) against any action or agreement that would reasonably
be expected to result in a breach of any covenant,
representation or warranty or any other obligation or agreement
of LoopNet or the signing directors, executive officers or
significant shareholders contained in the merger agreement; and
(iii) against any alternative acquisition proposal or other
action, agreement or transaction that would reasonably be
expected to impede, interfere with, delay, postpone, discourage,
frustrate the purposes of or adversely affect, or be
inconsistent with, the merger or the other transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement or the voting agreement or
the performance by LoopNet of its obligations under the merger
agreement or by the signing individuals under the voting
agreement. The foregoing obligations apply whether or not the
adoption of the merger agreement or any action described in the
foregoing is recommended by the Board.
The directors, executive officers and significant stockholders
who signed the voting agreement and own shares of Series A
Preferred Stock agreed to execute and deliver contingent
conversion notices to convert all of their shares of
Series A Preferred Stock into shares of LoopNet common
stock immediately prior to, and contingent upon, the completion
of the merger. Such signatories, who own 100% of the outstanding
shares of Series A Preferred Stock, have executed and
delivered the contingent conversion notices contemplated by the
voting agreement. Unless the merger agreement and the voting
agreement are terminated in accordance with their respective
terms, all of the outstanding Series A Preferred Stock will
be converted into LoopNet common stock immediately prior to, and
contingent upon, the completion of the merger.
The signing directors, executive officers and significant
stockholders have agreed in the voting agreement not to sell,
assign, transfer, encumber or otherwise dispose of the shares
subject to the voting agreement or to grant any proxies or enter
into a voting trust or other arrangement whereby the voting
rights would be transferred during the term of the voting
agreement, with certain exceptions for transfers to family
members, transfers upon death, transfers to charitable trusts
and transfers to affiliated entities under common control. The
signing directors, executive officers and significant
stockholders have also agreed in the voting agreement to be
bound by a non-solicitation obligation substantially the same as
the non-solicitation provisions of the merger agreement
described below under The Merger Agreement No
Solicitation; Changes in Recommendation. They have further
agreed not to exercise any rights to demand appraisal of any of
their shares in connection with the merger.
The voting agreement terminates upon the earlier of (i) the
effectiveness of the merger and (ii) the termination of the
merger agreement in accordance with its terms. The voting
agreement may also be terminated by each signing director,
executive officer and significant stockholder in the event of an
amendment, modification or waiver of the merger agreement made
without the written consent of such individual if such
amendment, modification or waiver changes the form or amount of
the consideration payable to such individual in respect of their
applicable shares in a manner adverse to such individual.
The voting agreement also provides for certain waivers and
consents granted by the signing shareholders to LoopNet in
connection with their rights under the Series A
Certificate, some of which are described above under
Certain Terms of the Series A Preferred Stock.
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Accounting
Treatment
The merger will be accounted for as an acquisition of a
business. CoStar will record net tangible and identifiable
intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed from LoopNet
at their respective fair values at the date of the completion of
the merger. Any excess of the purchase price, which will equal
the market value, at the date of the completion of the merger,
of the CoStar common stock issued as consideration for the
merger, over the net fair value of such assets and liabilities
will be recorded as goodwill.
The financial condition and results of operations of CoStar
after completion of the merger will reflect LoopNets
balances and results after completion of the transaction but
will not be restated retroactively to reflect the historical
financial condition or results of operations of LoopNet. The
earnings of CoStar following the completion of the merger will
reflect acquisition accounting adjustments, including the effect
of changes in the carrying value for assets and liabilities on
depreciation and amortization expense. Intangible assets with
indefinite useful lives and goodwill will not be amortized but
will be tested for impairment at least annually, and all
long-lived assets including goodwill will be tested for
impairment when certain indicators are present. If in the
future, CoStar determines that tangible or intangible assets
(including goodwill) are impaired, CoStar would record an
impairment charge at that time.
Listing
of CoStar Common Stock
CoStar will be required to notify Nasdaq of the listing of the
shares of CoStar common stock issued in the merger. CoStar
common stock currently is traded on Nasdaq under the symbol
CSGP.
Delisting
and Deregistration of LoopNet Common Stock after the
Merger
If the merger is completed, LoopNet common stock will be
delisted from Nasdaq and deregistered under the Exchange Act,
and LoopNet will no longer file periodic reports with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Appraisal
Rights
Under the DGCL, you have the right to demand appraisal of your
shares of LoopNet stock and to receive payment in cash for the
fair value of your shares as determined by the Delaware Court of
Chancery, together with interest, if any, in lieu of the
consideration you would otherwise be entitled to pursuant to the
merger agreement. These rights are known as appraisal rights.
Stockholders electing to exercise appraisal rights must comply
with the provisions of Section 262 of the DGCL in order to
perfect their rights. LoopNet will require strict compliance
with the statutory procedures.
For more details on appraisal rights, see the section entitled
Appraisal Rights.
Restrictions
on Sales of Shares of CoStar Common Stock Received in the
Merger
The shares of CoStar common stock to be issued in connection
with the merger will be freely transferable under the Securities
Act except for shares issued to any stockholder who may be
deemed to be an affiliate of CoStar for purposes of
Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Persons who may be
deemed to be affiliates include individuals or entities that
control, are controlled by, or under the common control with
CoStar and may include the executive officers, directors and
significant stockholders of CoStar.
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Litigation
To date, LoopNet, the Board
and/or
CoStar are named as defendants in two putative class action
lawsuits brought by alleged stockholders challenging the
proposed merger. The two shareholder actions, Raymond E.
Williams Jr. v. LoopNet, Inc., et al. and Ronald T.
West v. Richard Boyle, et al., were both filed on or
around May 3, 2011 in the Superior Court of California,
County of San Francisco and Ronald T. West v. Richard
Boyle, et al. was amended on May 20, 2011. The
complaints generally allege, among other things, that each
member of the Board breached his fiduciary duties to
LoopNets stockholders by authorizing the sale of LoopNet
to CoStar for consideration that does not maximize value to the
shareholders and engineering the transaction to benefit
themselves without regard to LoopNets shareholders. The
complaints also generally allege that LoopNet and CoStar aided
and abetted the breaches of fiduciary duty allegedly committed
by the members of the Board and have made incomplete or
materially misleading disclosures about the proposed
transaction. The shareholder actions seek equitable relief,
including an injunction against consummating the merger. The
parties have stipulated to the consolidation of the actions, and
to permit the filing of a consolidated complaint. A consolidated
complaint has not yet been filed.
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THE
MERGER AGREEMENT
The following discussion sets forth the principal terms of
the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 27,
2011, as amended May 20, 2011, which is referred to as the
merger agreement, a copy of which is attached as Annex A to
this proxy statement/prospectus and is incorporated by reference
herein. The rights and obligations of the parties are governed
by the express terms and conditions of the merger agreement and
not by this discussion, which is summary by nature. This
discussion is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the complete text of the merger agreement. You are
encouraged to read the merger agreement carefully in its
entirety, as well as this proxy statement/prospectus, before
making any decisions regarding the merger.
The
Merger
Subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement and
in accordance with the DGCL, merger sub, a Delaware corporation
and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CoStar, will merge with and
into LoopNet, and LoopNet will survive the merger as a
wholly-owned subsidiary of CoStar.
Closing
and Effectiveness of the Merger
The closing of the merger will occur as soon as possible, but no
later than two business days after the date of the conditions to
its completion have been satisfied or waived, provided that if
such conditions have been satisfied or waived but CoStars
marketing period (described below under
Financing) has not ended, the closing
will occur at the earliest of (i) a date during the
marketing period specified by CoStar with at least two business
days notice to LoopNet, (ii) the final day of the marketing
period and (iii) the end date (as defined below under
Termination; Termination Fees;
Expenses), or on another date agreed upon by LoopNet and
CoStar. The merger will become effective at such time (the
effective time) as the parties file a certificate of
merger with the Delaware Secretary of State (or at such later
time as LoopNet and CoStar may agree and is specified in the
merger certificate).
Consideration
to be Received in the Merger
Common Stock. At the effective time of the
merger, each outstanding share of common stock (other than
treasury stock, shares of common stock owned by CoStar or merger
sub and dissenting shares) will be converted into the right to
receive a unit consisting of (i) $16.50 in cash, without
interest and less applicable withholding tax, and
(ii) 0.03702 shares of CoStar common stock (together,
the common stock merger consideration). For example,
if you currently own 100 shares of common stock, you will
be entitled to receive $1650 or (100 x $16.50) in cash and
3.702 shares or (100 x 0.03702 shares) of CoStar
common stock. CoStar will not issue fractional shares of CoStar
common stock in the merger. As a result, LoopNet stockholders
will receive cash for any fractional share of CoStar common
stock that they would otherwise be entitled to receive in the
merger. After the merger is completed, LoopNet common
stockholders will have only the right to receive this
consideration, and will no longer have any rights as LoopNet
common stockholders, including voting or other rights. Shares of
common stock held as treasury stock or owned by CoStar will be
canceled at the effective time of the merger.
Series A Preferred Stock. Each share of
the Series A Preferred Stock outstanding immediately prior
to the effective time of the merger will be converted into the
right to receive a unit consisting of (i) 148.80952
multiplied by $16.50 in cash, without interest and less
applicable withholding tax (which equals $2,455.36), and
(ii) 148.80952 multiplied by 0.03702 shares of CoStar
common stock (which equals 5.5089 shares of CoStar common
stock). For example, if you currently own 100 shares of
Series A Preferred Stock, you will be entitled to receive
$245,536 or (100 x $2,455.36) in cash and 550.89 shares or
(100 x 5.5089 shares) of CoStar common stock. The per share
consideration for Series A Preferred Stock represents the
common stock equivalent consideration for each share of
Series A Preferred Stock. CoStar will not issue fractional
shares of CoStar common stock in the merger. As a result,
holders of Series A Preferred Stock will receive cash for
any fractional share of CoStar common stock that they would
otherwise be entitled to receive in the merger. After the merger
is completed, holders of Series A Preferred Stock will have
only the right to receive this
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consideration, and will no longer have any rights as LoopNet
stockholders, including voting or other rights. See the section
entitled The Merger Certain Terms of the
Series A Preferred Stock.
Treatment
of Options and Restricted Stock Units
Treatment of outstanding stock options and restricted stock
units granted by LoopNet will be as follows:
Stock Options. At or immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger, each stock option, whether or not
vested or exercisable, will be canceled, and LoopNet will pay
each holder of any such stock option at or promptly after the
effective time for each such stock option an amount of cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock determined as follows:
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For stock options (other than company performance stock options,
as defined below) with an applicable exercise price less than
the per share value of the merger consideration, the payment
received will be the product of (x) the difference between
the common stock merger consideration and the exercise price of
the applicable option (the excess) and (y) the
number of shares of LoopNet common stock the holder could have
purchased (assuming full vesting of stock options) had the
holder exercised the stock options in full immediately prior to
the effective time of the merger. The amount of excess shall be
determined by first reducing the cash component of the common
stock merger consideration (i.e., $16.50) by the exercise price
of the applicable option and then, if the exercise price of the
applicable option exceeds the cash component of the common stock
merger consideration (the amount of such excess, the
exercise excess), by then reducing the stock
component of the common stock merger consideration (i.e.,
0.03702 shares of CoStar common stock) by the number of
shares of CoStar common stock equal to the exercise excess
divided by the volume weighted average price per share of CoStar
common stock on Nasdaq for the ten consecutive trading days
ending two days prior to closing.
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For stock options with an applicable exercise price greater than
the per share value of the merger consideration, no payment will
be received.
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The per share value of the merger consideration is the sum of
$16.50 plus the value of the stock component of the common stock
merger consideration (based on the volume weighted average price
per share of CoStar common stock on Nasdaq for the ten
consecutive trading days ending two days prior to closing).
The following examples illustrate the consideration payable in
respect of stock options (other than company performance stock
options) for a hypothetical holder of stock options to acquire
100 shares of LoopNet common stock at three different
hypothetical exercise prices ($10.00, $18.00 and $20.00). Each
example further assumes a hypothetical volume weighted average
price per share of CoStar common stock on Nasdaq for the ten
consecutive trading days ending two days prior to closing of
$60.00.
Example 1 (assuming an exercise price of $10.00): the
consideration payable would be $650 in cash (the difference
between $16.50 and $10.00 multiplied by 100) and
3.702 shares of CoStar common stock (0.03702 x 100), with
the holder receiving cash in lieu of fractional shares.
Example 2 (assuming an exercise price of $18.00): the
consideration payable would be 1.202 shares of CoStar
common stock (which was obtained by first calculating an
exercise excess of $1.50, dividing such exercise
excess by $60.00 to obtain 0.025, subtracting 0.025 from 0.03702
to obtain 0.01202 and then multiplying 0.01202 by 100), with the
holder receiving cash in lieu of fractional shares.
Example 3 (assuming an exercise price of $20.00): no
consideration would be payable since the exercise price is
greater than the per share value of the merger consideration
(calculated as approximately $18.72, assuming the applicable
volume weighted average price per share of CoStar common stock
is $60.00, by adding the product of 0.03702 and $60.00 to
$16.50).
Restricted Stock Units. LoopNet restricted
stock units, whether or not vested or exercisable, will be
canceled at or immediately prior to the effective time of the
merger and, in lieu thereof, the holders of LoopNet restricted
stock units (other than company performance RSUs, as defined
below) will be entitled to
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receive payment of cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock equal to the product of the number
of shares of LoopNet common stock subject to the restricted
stock units and the common stock merger consideration.
Company Performance Stock Options and Company Performance
RSUs. Two-thirds of LoopNets
performance-based stock options and two-thirds of LoopNets
performance-based restricted stock units, whether or not vested
or exercisable, will be canceled at or immediately prior to the
effective time of the merger and, in lieu thereof, the holders
of such performance-based stock options and performance-based
restricted stock units will be entitled to receive payment of
cash and/or
shares of CoStar common stock determined as described above with
respect to stock options and restricted stock units,
respectively.
The remaining one-third of LoopNets performance-based
stock options (the company performance stock
options) and the remaining one-third of LoopNets
performance-based restricted stock units (the company
performance RSUs) will be canceled at or immediately prior
to the effective time of the merger and, in lieu thereof, the
holders of such company performance stock options and company
performance RSUs will be entitled to receive payment of cash
and/or
shares of CoStar common stock determined as follows:
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For such company performance stock options with an applicable
exercise price less than the per share value of the merger
consideration, the payment received will be equal in value to
the payment determined as described above with respect to stock
options, except that any payments that would have been paid in
cash will be paid in CoStar common stock.
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For such company performance stock options with an applicable
exercise price greater than the per share value of the merger
consideration, no payment will be received.
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For such company performance RSUs, the payment received will be
equal in value to the payment determined as described above with
respect to restricted stock units, except that any payments that
would have been paid in cash will be paid in CoStar common stock.
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If, as a result of the foregoing treatment of company
performance stock options and company performance RSUs, the
merger agreement would require CoStar to issue an aggregate
number of shares of CoStar common stock in excess of 2.25
million shares, CoStar may instead pay to the holders of the
company performance stock options and company performance RSUs
the amounts in excess of 2.25 million shares in cash.
Fractional
Shares
CoStar will not issue any fractional shares of common stock in
connection with the merger. Instead, each holder of LoopNet
common stock who would otherwise be entitled to receive a
fraction of a share of CoStar common stock (after taking into
account all shares of LoopNet common stock owned by such holder
at the effective time of the merger) will receive cash based on
the fractional share to which such holder would otherwise be
entitled and the prevailing price of CoStar stock when the
exchange agent sells the aggregated fractional shares.
Exchange
Procedures
CoStar will appoint an exchange agent for the payment of the
applicable merger consideration in exchange for shares of
LoopNet common stock and Series A Preferred Stock. Promptly
after the effective time of the merger, CoStar will mail or
cause the exchange agent to mail to each holder of record of
common stock and Series A Preferred Stock a letter of
transmittal and instructions for effecting the surrender of
stock certificates or uncertificated shares in exchange for the
payment of the consideration described above to be made to the
holder of such certificates or uncertificated shares. Upon
surrender or transfer of shares to the exchange agent, together
with a properly completed letter of transmittal and such other
evidence as the exchange agent may reasonably require, the
holder of such shares will be entitled to receive the applicable
consideration for each share of LoopNet common stock or
Series A Preferred Stock, as applicable. The exchange
agent, the surviving corporation and CoStar are entitled to
deduct and withhold any applicable taxes from any merger
consideration that would otherwise be payable.
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After the effective time, each certificate that previously
represented shares of LoopNet common stock or Series A
Preferred Stock will be canceled and, subject to compliance with
the procedures described above, exchanged for the applicable
merger consideration as described above under
Consideration to be Received in the
Merger.
LoopNet and CoStar are not liable to holders of LoopNet common
stock or Series A Preferred Stock for any amount delivered
to a public official under applicable abandoned property,
escheat or similar laws.
Stockholders should not return their stock certificates with
the enclosed proxy card and should not forward stock
certificates to the exchange agent without a letter of
transmittal.
Distributions
with Respect to Unexchanged Shares
Holders of LoopNet common stock are entitled to receive
dividends or other distributions on CoStar common stock with a
record date after the effective time of the merger, but only
after such holder has surrendered its LoopNet common stock
certificates and uncertificated shares. Any dividend or other
distribution on CoStar common stock with a record date after the
effective time of the merger will be paid (i) at the time
of surrender of the common stock certificate or uncertificated
share, if the payment date is on or prior to the date of
surrender and not previously paid or (ii) at the
appropriate payment date, if the dividends or distributions have
a payment date subsequent to such surrender.
Lost,
Stolen and Destroyed Certificates
If a LoopNet common stock or Series A Preferred Stock
certificate is lost, stolen or destroyed, the holder of such
certificate must deliver an affidavit of that fact prior to
receiving any merger consideration and, if required by CoStar,
may also be required to provide an indemnity bond (in such
reasonable amount as may be directed by CoStar) prior to
receiving any merger consideration.
Dissenting
Shares
A holder of LoopNet common stock or Series A Preferred
Stock may exercise appraisal rights available under
Section 262 of the DGCL, which is included with this proxy
statement/prospectus as Annex D. The shares of stock held
by holders who have properly exercised appraisal rights will not
be converted into the right to receive the consideration
discussed above, but will instead be entitled to such rights as
are granted by Section 262 of the DGCL.
Representations
and Warranties
The merger agreement contains representations and warranties
made by LoopNet to CoStar and by CoStar to LoopNet. The
assertions embodied in those representations and warranties were
made solely for purposes of the merger agreement and may be
subject to important qualifications and limitations agreed to by
the parties in connection with negotiating the terms of the
merger agreement. Accordingly, LoopNet stockholders should not
rely on representations and warranties as characterizations of
the actual state of facts or circumstances, and should bear in
mind that the representations and warranties were made solely
for the benefit of the parties to the merger agreement, were
negotiated for purposes of allocating contractual risk among the
parties to the merger agreement rather than to establish matters
as facts and may be subject to contractual standards of
materiality different from those generally applicable to
stockholders. Moreover, information concerning the subject
matter of such representations and warranties may change after
the date of the merger agreement, which subsequent information
may or may not be reflected in public disclosures of LoopNet and
CoStar. This description of the representations and warranties
is included to provide LoopNets stockholders with
information regarding the terms of the merger agreement. The
representations and warranties in the merger agreement and the
description of them in this proxy statement/prospectus should be
read in conjunction with the other information contained in the
reports, statements and filings LoopNet and CoStar publicly file
with the SEC. See Where You Can Find Additional
Information beginning on page 111 of this proxy
statement/prospectus.
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In the merger agreement, LoopNet and CoStar made a number of
representations and warranties to each other. The parties
reciprocal representations and warranties relate to, among other
things:
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due incorporation, valid existence and good standing, and
corporate authorization and power to enter into the merger
agreement and consummate the transactions contemplated thereby;
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required regulatory filings, consent and approval of
governmental entities in connection with the merger agreement
and the merger;
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the absence of any violation of or conflict with such
partys organizational documents or applicable laws as a
result of entering into the merger agreement and consummating
the merger;
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the proxy statement/prospectus to be filed with the SEC under
the Exchange Act and the accuracy of information contained in
such document as provided by such party;
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capitalization and capital structure;
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documents filed by LoopNet with the SEC since January 1,
2008 and by CoStar with the SEC since January 1, 2010, the
accuracy of information contained in those documents and CoStar
and LoopNets compliance with provisions of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the listing rules of Nasdaq;
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financial statements;
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litigation and legal proceedings; and
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the absence of undisclosed finders fees.
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In addition to the foregoing, the merger agreement contains
representations and warranties made by LoopNet to CoStar,
including regarding:
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the Stockholder Approval required to consummate the merger;
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the good standing and corporate power and authority of
LoopNets subsidiaries;
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the absence of certain changes or events, and the absence of a
material adverse effect on LoopNet, in each case since
December 31, 2010;
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the absence of undisclosed liabilities;
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compliance with applicable legal requirements and possession of
permits;
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properties;
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intellectual property;
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filing of tax returns, payment of taxes and other tax matters;
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employee benefit plans;
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environmental matters;
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certain material contracts;
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receipt by LoopNet of a fairness opinion from Evercore;
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the inapplicability of certain state takeover statutes, the lack
of any antitakeover provisions in any organizational documents
of any of LoopNets subsidiaries and LoopNets lack of
any rights agreement, poison pill or similar
agreement or plan;
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affiliate transactions;
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employment matters; and
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insurance.
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In addition, the merger agreement contains representations and
warranties made by CoStar to LoopNet including regarding the
existence of a fully executed debt commitment letter confirming
the commitments of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A. to provide CoStar with debt financing in
connection with the merger, certain terms and conditions of that
debt commitment letter and the availability of sufficient funds
for CoStar to consummate the merger as contemplated by the
merger agreement, among other things.
LoopNets
Conduct of Business Before Completion of the Merger
From the date of the merger agreement until the effective time,
LoopNet has agreed, subject to certain exceptions, to, and to
cause each of its subsidiaries to, conduct its business in the
ordinary course and use its reasonable best efforts to preserve
intact its business organizations and relationships with third
parties, to keep available the services of its present officers
and employees and to comply in all material respects with
applicable law and the requirements of all material contracts.
In addition, LoopNet may not, among other things and subject to
certain exceptions, without CoStars consent:
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amend or propose to amend its certificate of incorporation,
bylaws or other similar organizational documents;
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split, combine, subdivide or reclassify any shares of its
capital stock or authorize the issuance of any other securities
in lieu of or in substitution for shares of its capital stock;
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declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution
(whether in cash, stock or property or any combination thereof)
in respect of its capital stock, except for dividends by any of
its wholly-owned subsidiaries to LoopNet or another wholly-owned
subsidiary of LoopNet;
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redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire or offer to redeem,
repurchase, or otherwise acquire any LoopNet securities or any
securities of LoopNets subsidiaries or any options,
warrants or rights to acquire any LoopNet securities or any of
LoopNets subsidiaries securities;
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issue, deliver, grant, pledge, redeem, accelerate rights under,
dispose of, transfer or sell, or authorize the issuance,
delivery, grant, pledge, redemption, acceleration of rights
under, disposition, transfer or sale of, any shares of any
LoopNet securities or any securities of LoopNets
subsidiaries or any options, warrants, calls, commitments or
rights or any other agreements to acquire any LoopNet securities
or any securities of LoopNets subsidiaries, or any
securities convertible into or exchangeable for any shares of,
or grant to any entity any right the value of which is based on
the value of, any LoopNet securities or any securities of
LoopNets subsidiaries, other than the issuance of
(i) shares of LoopNet common stock upon the exercise of
LoopNet stock options that are outstanding on the date of the
merger agreement in accordance with the terms of those stock
options on the date of the merger agreement, (ii) shares of
LoopNet common stock upon the vesting and scheduled settlement
of LoopNet restricted stock units that are outstanding on the
date of the merger agreement in accordance with the terms of
those LoopNet restricted stock units on the date of the merger
agreement, or (iii) securities of LoopNets
subsidiaries issued to LoopNet or any other wholly-owned
subsidiary of LoopNet;
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amend any term of any security of LoopNet or its subsidiaries;
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acquire (by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock or
assets or otherwise), in one transaction or any series of
related transactions, directly or indirectly, any assets,
securities, properties, interests or businesses that are in
excess of $1 million individually or $3 million in the
aggregate;
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enter into any new line of business outside of its existing
business segments or enter into any agreement, arrangement or
commitment that limits or otherwise restricts LoopNet or any
subsidiary of LoopNet, or upon completion of the transactions
contemplated by the merger agreement, CoStar, merger sub or any
of their respective subsidiaries, from engaging or competing in
any line of business or in any geographic area or otherwise
enter into any agreements, arrangements or commitments imposing
material changes or restrictions on its assets, operations or
business;
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make or commit to make any capital expenditures in excess of
$2 million, or, if the merger shall not have been
consummated before December 31, 2011, $2.5 million,
for LoopNet and its subsidiaries taken as a whole;
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sell, lease, license, mortgage, pledge, surrender, encumber,
divest, cancel, abandon, create or incur any lien on, allow to
expire or lapse or otherwise transfer or dispose of any of its
assets, rights, securities, properties, interests or businesses
that individually or in the aggregate are in excess of
$1 million;
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other than in connection with acquisitions permitted by the
interim operating covenants, make any loans, advances or capital
contributions to, or investments in, any other entity, other
than in the ordinary course of business or in connection with
agreements with strategic partners and not in excess of
$1 million individually or in the aggregate;
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incur or assume any indebtedness for borrowed money or
guarantees thereof or otherwise become responsible (whether
directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any
entity (other than letters of credit, guarantees or similar
arrangements issued to or for the benefit of suppliers and
manufacturers in the ordinary course of business consistent with
past practice or indebtedness incurred between LoopNet and any
of LoopNets wholly-owned subsidiaries or between any such
subsidiaries), or enter into a make well or similar
agreement or issue or sell any debt securities or options,
warrants, calls or other rights to acquire any debt securities
of LoopNet or any of LoopNets subsidiaries;
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with respect to any director or employee of LoopNet or any of
LoopNets subsidiaries, (i) grant (except as
specifically required by LoopNets employee plans as in
effect on the date of the merger agreement) or increase any
severance or termination pay (or amend any existing severance
pay or termination arrangement) or (ii) enter into any
employment, deferred compensation or other similar agreement (or
amend any such existing agreement) other than (x) at will
offer letters for non-executive employees of LoopNet with base
salary of $150,000 or less or (y) agreements for hires made
in connection with acquisitions permitted by the interim
operating covenants, which, in the case of each (x) and
(y), do not provide for any equity grants;
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increase benefits payable under any existing severance or
termination pay policies;
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establish, adopt or materially amend (except as required by
applicable law) any collective bargaining, bonus,
profit-sharing, thrift, pension, retirement, deferred
compensation, stock option, restricted stock or other benefit
plan or arrangement;
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increase compensation, bonus or other benefits payable to any
employee of LoopNet or any of LoopNets subsidiaries,
except with respect to any nonexecutive employee of LoopNet or
any of LoopNets subsidiaries, for increases in base salary
in the ordinary course of business;
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change LoopNets methods of accounting, except as required
by concurrent changes in GAAP or in
Regulation S-X
of the Exchange Act, as agreed to by its independent public
accountants;
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settle, or offer or propose to settle (i) any material
litigation, investigation, arbitration, proceeding or other
claim involving or against LoopNet or any of its subsidiaries,
(ii) any stockholder litigation or dispute against LoopNet
or any of its officers or directors or (iii) any
litigation, arbitration, proceeding or dispute that relates to
the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement;
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make or change any material tax election, change any material
annual tax accounting period, adopt or materially change any
material method of tax accounting, enter into any material
closing agreement or settle any material tax claim or audit;
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announce, implement or effect any material reduction in labor
force, lay-off, early retirement program, severance program or
other program or effort concerning the termination of employment
of employees of LoopNet (including, but not limited to, any
plant closing or mass layoff as those
terms are defined in the Worker Adjustment and Retraining
Notification Act or any similar action under a similar law),
other than routine employee terminations;
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adopt or implement a rights plan or similar arrangement;
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adopt a plan of complete or partial liquidation, dissolution,
merger, consolidation, restructuring, recapitalization or other
reorganization of LoopNet or any subsidiary, other than the
merger or as expressly provided in the merger agreement;
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except as required by applicable law or the transactions
contemplated in the merger agreement, amend, modify or terminate
any material contract or lease, or knowingly waive, release or
assign any material rights, claims or benefits under any
material contract or lease or with respect to any investment in
any entity (including without limitation, the right to designate
one or more members to the board of directors or similar
governing body of any entity (or its affiliates) or other
governance rights), or enter into (i) any lease (whether as
lessor, sublessor, lessee or sublessee) or (ii) any new
contract that, if entered into prior to the date of the merger
agreement, would constitute a material contract under the merger
agreement; or
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agree, resolve or commit to do any of the foregoing.
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No
Solicitation; Changes in Recommendations
In the merger agreement, LoopNet has agreed that the Board will
recommend that LoopNets stockholders adopt the merger
agreement, and that none of LoopNet, its Board of Directors or
its subsidiaries will, nor will any of LoopNet, its Board of
Directors or any of its subsidiaries authorize or permit any of
its representatives to, directly or indirectly:
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solicit, initiate, induce, explore or knowingly take any action
to facilitate or encourage the submission or announcement of any
acquisition proposal, or any inquiries, proposals or offers that
may reasonably be expected to lead to an acquisition proposal,
including through the furnishing of any information;
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enter into or participate in any discussions or negotiations
with, furnish any information relating to LoopNet or any of its
subsidiaries or afford access to the business, properties,
assets, books or records of LoopNet or any of its subsidiaries
to or otherwise cooperate in any way with, assist or facilitate
any third party that is seeking to make, or has made, an
acquisition proposal;
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fail to make, withdraw or modify in a manner adverse to CoStar
(or publicly propose to withdraw or modify in a manner adverse
to CoStar) the Boards recommendation that LoopNets
stockholders adopt the merger agreement, or approve, recommend
or declare advisable an acquisition proposal (an adverse
recommendation change); or
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approve, recommend, declare advisable or enter into any
agreement in principle, letter of intent, term sheet, merger
agreement, acquisition agreement, option agreement or other
similar instrument relating to an acquisition proposal or
requiring LoopNet to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate
the transactions contemplated by the merger agreement.
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However, at any time prior to obtaining the Stockholder
Approval, so long as none of LoopNet, its subsidiaries or their
representatives have breached or taken any actions inconsistent
with LoopNets above obligations regarding
non-solicitation, LoopNet and its Board may, to the extent
required by the Boards fiduciary duties:
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in response to a bona fide written acquisition proposal
that the Board determines in good faith after consultation with
outside legal and financial advisors would reasonably be
expected to constitute or result in a superior proposal,
(i) engage in negotiations or discussions with such third
party and its representatives and financing sources and
(ii) furnish information relating to LoopNet to the person
making such proposal, its representatives or financing sources
pursuant to a confidentiality agreement with terms no less
favorable to LoopNet than LoopNets confidentiality
agreement with CoStar (before taking into account LoopNets
acknowledgment that the
Form S-4
in which this proxy statement/prospectus is included will
require the disclosure of certain information that may be
confidential under the terms of its confidentiality agreement
between CoStar and LoopNet and LoopNets waiver of the
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restrictions under the confidentiality agreement with CoStar in
respect of such disclosure, such acknowledgement and waiver
being contained in the merger agreement);
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subject to compliance with the applicable terms of the merger
agreement, make an adverse recommendation change (i) in
connection with a bona fide written unsolicited
acquisition proposal (that did not arise out of a breach of
LoopNets non-solicitation obligations under the merger
agreement) that the Board concludes in good faith constitutes a
superior proposal, or (ii) in connection with an
intervening event (a material event or circumstance
that was not known to, or reasonably foreseeable by, the Board
on or prior to the date of the merger agreement and does not
relate to (x) any acquisition proposal, (y) clearance
of the merger under the HSR Act or (z) any circumstances
relating to CoStar); or
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subject to compliance with the applicable terms of the merger
agreement, terminate the merger agreement to enter into a
definitive agreement with respect to a bona fide written
unsolicited acquisition proposal (that did not arise out of a
breach of LoopNets non-solicitation obligations under the
merger agreement) that the Board concludes in good faith
constitutes a superior proposal (a superior proposal
termination); provided that any such termination
shall be void and of no force or effect, unless concurrently
with such termination LoopNet pays CoStar the $25.8 million
termination fee payable pursuant to the merger agreement, enters
into such definitive agreement and otherwise complies with its
non-solicitation obligations.
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In each case referred to above, LoopNet may take such action
only if the Board determines in good faith, after consultation
with outside legal counsel and its financial advisor, that the
failure to take such action would be inconsistent with its
fiduciary duties under Delaware law, and, further, in the case
of the second and third bullets above, only if, prior to
effecting any adverse recommendation change or superior proposal
termination, (i) LoopNet notifies CoStar in writing, at
least five business days prior to effecting such adverse
recommendation change or superior proposal termination of its
intention to effect such adverse recommendation change or
superior proposal termination (any material amendment to the
terms of a superior proposal shall require a new notice period
of at least two business days, rather than five business days),
(ii) during the applicable notice period LoopNet negotiates
with CoStar in good faith to make such adjustments to the terms
and conditions of the merger agreement such that the superior
proposal ceases to be a superior proposal or the adverse
recommendation change in response to the intervening event is no
longer necessary, as applicable and (iii) at the end of the
notice period, the Board determines in good faith, after
consultation with its outside legal counsel and financial
advisor that such superior proposal continues to meet the
definition of superior proposal or the intervening event
continues to necessitate an adverse recommendation change, as
applicable.
The term acquisition proposal means, other than the
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, any third
party offer, proposal, indication of interest or inquiry
contemplating or otherwise relating to any transaction or series
of transactions involving (i) any acquisition, lease,
license or purchase, direct or indirect, of 20% or more of the
consolidated assets of LoopNet and its subsidiaries or 20% or
more of any class of equity or voting securities of LoopNet or
any of its subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the
aggregate, constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of
LoopNet, (ii) any tender offer (including a self-tender
offer) or exchange offer that, if consummated, would result in
any third party owning, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of
any class of equity or voting securities of LoopNet (or any
surviving or successor entity thereto) or any of its
subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of LoopNet or
(iii) a merger, consolidation, share exchange, business
combination, sale of substantially all the assets,
reorganization, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or
other similar transaction involving LoopNet or any of its
subsidiaries whose assets, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute 20% or more of the consolidated assets of LoopNet and
its subsidiaries.
The term superior proposal means a bona fide,
unsolicited written acquisition proposal for at least a majority
of the outstanding shares of LoopNet common stock on an
as-converted basis or all or substantially all of the
consolidated assets of LoopNet and its subsidiaries that the
Board determines in good faith by a majority vote, after
considering the advice of outside counsel and a financial
advisor of nationally recognized reputation, is (A) at
least as favorable, from a financial point of view, to the
holders of LoopNet common stock as the merger consideration
(disregarding the aspects and risks set forth in the
parenthetical in the
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following clause (B)) and (B) on more favorable terms to
the holders of LoopNet common stock than the merger (taking into
account all financial, legal, financing (including availability
thereof), regulatory and other aspects and risks (including
required conditions (including any requirement of a stockholder
vote of the party making the acquisition proposal) and
likelihood and timing of consummation)).
The merger agreement also provides that LoopNet shall not take
any of the actions described above unless LoopNet shall have
delivered to CoStar a prior written notice advising CoStar that
it intends to take such action. In addition, LoopNet shall
notify CoStar promptly (but in no event later than
24 hours) after receipt by LoopNet (or any of its
representatives) of any acquisition proposal, including of the
material terms and conditions thereof, and shall, at
CoStars request, keep CoStar informed on a reasonably
current basis as to the status (including changes to the
material terms) of such acquisition proposal. LoopNet shall also
notify CoStar promptly (but in no event later than
24 hours) after receipt by LoopNet of any request for
non-public information relating to LoopNet or any of its
subsidiaries or for access to the business, properties, assets,
books or records of LoopNet or any of its subsidiaries by any
third party that may be considering making, or has made, an
acquisition proposal.
Reasonable
Best Efforts to Complete the Merger; Other Agreements
Reasonable Best Efforts. CoStar and LoopNet
have each agreed to use their reasonable best efforts to take,
or cause to be taken, all actions and to do, or cause to be
done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable
law to consummate the transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement.
Notwithstanding the parties reasonable best
efforts obligation the merger agreement does not require
LoopNet or CoStar to take any divestiture action that is not
conditioned upon consummation of the merger. Additionally,
CoStar is not required to take any action involving CoStar
businesses or assets in order to obtain the approval of a
government authority unless such approval could not be obtained
by an action to which CoStar is required or obliged to agree
involving solely LoopNet businesses or assets. CoStar is also
not required to take any actions which, individually or in the
aggregate, would constitute a substantial detriment. A
substantial detriment means (i) any material
limitation, restriction or prohibition on the ability of CoStar
or any of its subsidiaries effectively to acquire, hold or
exercise full rights of ownership of the capital stock of
LoopNet or the surviving corporation, or the assets of LoopNet
and its subsidiaries, (ii) a loss by CoStar and its
affiliates of a material benefit or material benefits
(including, without limitation, revenue or cost synergies),
after taking into account the adverse effect of the proposed
actions on CoStar and its affiliates (including, for these
purposes, the surviving corporation and its subsidiaries)
arising from or relating to the merger and the other
transactions contemplated by the merger agreement, (iii) an
impact that is materially adverse to the assets, business,
results of operation or financial condition of the surviving
corporation and its subsidiaries, or (iv) an impact that is
materially adverse to the assets, business, results of operation
or financial condition of CoStar and its subsidiaries, assuming
for purposes of this determination that CoStar and its
subsidiaries are of equivalent size to the surviving corporation
and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Proxy Statement/Prospectus; Registration Statement;
Stockholders Meeting. CoStar and LoopNet
have agreed to prepare and file with the SEC this proxy
statement/prospectus and the registration statement in which
this proxy statement/prospectus is included as a prospectus as
promptly as practicable after the execution of the merger
agreement. CoStar and LoopNet have also agreed to use reasonable
best efforts to have the registration statement declared
effective, to keep the registration statement effective as long
as is necessary to consummate the merger, to furnish all
information reasonably requested by the other in connection with
the preparation and other action involving the registration
statement and to resolve any SEC comments relating to this proxy
statement/prospectus. LoopNet has agreed to cause this proxy
statement/prospectus to be mailed to its stockholders as
promptly as practicable after the registration statement in
which this proxy statement/prospectus is included as a
prospectus is declared effective. The merger agreement also
provides that LoopNet will hold the stockholders special
meeting as soon as reasonably practicable following the
effectiveness of the registration statement and will recommend
adoption of the merger agreement by LoopNets stockholders
and use reasonable best efforts to obtain the Stockholder
Approval.
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Other Agreements. The merger agreement
contains certain other agreements, including agreements relating
to notifications of certain events, public announcements and
confidentiality.
Financing
Marketing
Period
Under the merger agreement, LoopNet has agreed to allow CoStar
and its financing sources a period of 20 consecutive business
days to market the debt financing. The marketing period is a
period during and at the end of which (i) CoStar has the
LoopNet financial and other information described below (and the
information will be deemed not to have been received on any date
on which the financial statements of LoopNet and its
subsidiaries delivered to CoStar as of such date would be
required to be updated in order to be sufficiently current to
permit a registration statement with the SEC using such
financial statements (including pro forma financial statements)
to be declared effective on any day during the marketing period
if the marketing period were to commence on such date),
(ii) the conditions of the merger described below under
Conditions of the Merger Mutual
Conditions have been satisfied (other than those
conditions that by their terms are to be satisfied at the
closing of the merger) and (iii) nothing has occurred and
no condition exists that would cause any of the conditions of
the merger described below under Conditions of
the Merger CoStar Conditions to fail to be
satisfied assuming the closing were to be scheduled for any time
during such 20 consecutive business day period; provided that
if all such conditions have been satisfied other than the
Stockholder Approval because the special meeting of
LoopNets stockholders has not yet been held, unless a bona
fide acquisition proposal has been made and remains outstanding,
the marketing period will commence on the date that is 15
business days prior to the date of such special meeting.
If the marketing period has not ended on or prior to
August 19, 2011, it will commence no earlier than
September 7, 2011, and if it has not ended on or prior to
December 16, 2011, it will commence no earlier than
January 3, 2012 and the marketing period will be deemed not
to have commenced if prior to its completion, Ernst &
Young LLP has withdrawn its audit opinion with respect to any of
the financial statements filed by LoopNet with the SEC since
January 1, 2008. In addition, for purposes of calculating
the length of the marketing period, a business day does not
include November 25, 2011, or any day on which there has
been (i) any general suspension of, or limitation on
trading in securities on Nasdaq (other than a shortening of
trading hours or any coordinated trading halt triggered solely
as a result of a specified increase or decrease in a market
index), (ii) a declaration of a banking moratorium or any
suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States
generally or in the State of New York or (iii) any material
limitation (whether or not mandatory) by any governmental
authority on the extension of credit by banks or other lending
institutions.
LoopNet
Cooperation
LoopNet has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to
provide, and to cause its subsidiaries to use their reasonable
best efforts to provide, and to use its reasonable best efforts
to cause each of its and their respective representatives to
provide all cooperation reasonably requested by CoStar in
connection with the financing (provided, that such requested
cooperation does not unreasonably interfere with the ongoing
operations of LoopNet and its subsidiaries), including, among
other things:
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participation in meetings, due diligence sessions,
presentations, road shows and sessions with rating
agencies;
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assisting with the preparation of materials for rating agency
presentations, offering documents, private placement memoranda,
bank information memoranda, prospectuses and similar documents
required in connection with the debt financing;
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furnishing CoStar and its financing sources with all financial
and other pertinent information regarding LoopNet and its
subsidiaries as may be reasonably requested by CoStar to assist
in the preparation of customary offering or information
documents, including information with respect to the collateral,
financial statements, pro forma financial information, financial
data, audit reports and certain other
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information required and of the type and form customarily
included in private placements of debt securities;
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using reasonable best efforts to obtain accountants
comfort letters, legal opinions, surveys and title insurance;
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furnishing CoStar and its financing sources with information and
documentation required under applicable know your
customer and anti-money laundering rules and regulations,
including without limitation the PATRIOT Act; and
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executing and delivering any commitment letters, underwriting or
placement agreements, registration statements, pledge and
security documents, perfection certificates, other definitive
financing documents or other requested certificates or
documents, including a customary solvency certificate by
LoopNets chief financial officer.
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None of these letters, agreements, registration statements,
documents and certificates will have to be executed and
delivered except in connection with the closing of the merger,
and the effectiveness thereof will be conditioned upon, or
become operative after, the occurrence of the closing of the
merger. No personal liability will be imposed on the LoopNet
officers or employees involved in assisting CoStar and its
financing sources pursuant to the foregoing.
The obligations of CoStar and merger sub to consummate the
merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger
agreement on the terms and subject to the conditions of the
merger agreement are not conditioned upon the availability or
consummation of the debt financing or receipt of the proceeds
therefrom.
Access to
Information
Under the merger agreement, until the effective time, subject to
applicable law and the confidentiality agreement between LoopNet
and CoStar dated March 10, 2011, LoopNet will give CoStar
and its authorized representatives full access to the offices,
properties, books and records of LoopNet and its subsidiaries,
furnish CoStar and its authorized representatives with
reasonably requested information and instruct LoopNets
authorized representatives to cooperate with CoStars
investigation of LoopNet and its subsidiaries.
Director
and Officer Indemnification and Insurance
The merger agreement provides that for a period of six years
after the effective time of the merger and to the fullest extent
permitted by law or provided under LoopNets certificate of
incorporation or bylaws or in an agreement between LoopNet and
its current or former officers and directors, the surviving
corporation will indemnify, and provide expenses as they are
incurred to, the current or former officers and directors of
LoopNet with respect to acts or omissions occurring at or prior
to the effective time, provided that any person to whom expenses
are advanced will provide an undertaking to repay any advances
made if a court determines the person was not entitled to
indemnification. The merger agreement further provides that,
prior to the effective time of the merger, LoopNet may purchase
a six-year tail officers and directors
liability insurance policy on terms and conditions no less
favorable in the aggregate than LoopNets existing
directors and officers liability insurance. If
LoopNet cannot purchase this tail policy for an
aggregate premium of 200% or less of the annual premium paid by
LoopNet for such existing insurance, LoopNet may only purchase
as much insurance coverage as can be obtained within the 200%
cap unless it receives written consent from CoStar to exceed
that cap. The surviving corporation will pay all expenses,
including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, that an
indemnified person may incur in enforcing the indemnity and
other obligations described above, and the merger agreement
provides that the foregoing rights of each indemnified person
will survive the effective time of the merger and are
enforceable by each indemnified person.
Employee
Matters
The merger agreement provides that, for a period of one year
after the effective time, CoStar will provide the following to
those employees of LoopNet and its subsidiaries who are employed
immediately prior to the
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effective time (the covered employees) who remain
employed by CoStar after the effective time: (i) base
salary or base wages that are no less than the base salary or
base wages provided to each such continuing employee immediately
prior to the effective time and (ii) annual cash bonus
opportunity and other compensation and benefits (other than
equity incentive arrangements) that are in the aggregate
substantially comparable to such annual cash bonus opportunity
and other compensation and benefits provided by LoopNet and its
subsidiaries as in effect immediately prior to the effective
time. The merger agreement also provides that, except as would
result in the duplication of benefits, with respect to any
compensation
and/or
benefit program, policy or arrangement maintained by CoStar or
any of its subsidiaries, including the surviving corporation, in
which any LoopNet employee becomes a participant, such employee
will receive full credit (for purposes of eligibility to
participate, vesting, and, except for any defined benefit plan,
benefit level and accrual, where applicable under the
compensation
and/or
benefit programs, policies or arrangements of CoStar or any of
its subsidiaries), for service with LoopNet or any of its
subsidiaries (or predecessor employers to the extent LoopNet
provides such past service credit). In addition, CoStar will
waive, or cause to be waived, any pre-existing condition
limitations, exclusions, actively-at-work requirements and
waiting periods under any welfare benefit plan maintained by
CoStar or any of its subsidiaries in which LoopNet employees
(and their eligible dependents) are eligible to participate from
and after the effective time, except to the extent that such
pre-existing condition