“Wyndham has sought to threaten shareholders’ ability to realize value: Wyndham shareholders should be concerned by the company’s blatant mischaracterization of the lodging industry’s competitive landscape. Wyndham’s comments call into question their ability to properly support franchisees while also generating shareholder value through M&A. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will come to its own independent assessment of the proposed transaction’s competitive merits based on the specific facts like it does on every M&A transaction. Attempting to use the FTC to prevent Wyndham shareholders from even accessing the option of a merger with Choice robs them of meaningful upside from the combination or, at a minimum, the substantial break-fee Choice has offered in the unlikely event the transaction were not to receive the requisite regulatory clearance.
Wyndham’s board continues to not be forthcoming: Following the launch of Choice’s exchange offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Wyndham on Dec. 12, representatives of Wyndham contacted representatives of Choice for the purported purpose of engaging in discussions regarding a potential transaction and regulatory protections. Choice and its representatives engaged in good faith discussions, but, consistent with past practices, Wyndham’s representatives abruptly ended those discussions on Dec. 17. Wyndham failed to disclose these discussions in the Schedule 14d-9 that it filed yesterday.
Shareholders are eager for both parties to work together to reach an expedient resolution: Since launching the exchange offer, we have engaged with dozens of Wyndham’s institutional shareholders representing over 40% of shares outstanding based on the most recently available filings. In our discussions, many shareholders have consistently expressed support for the industrial merits of a transaction as well as the desire for both parties to work together to reach an expedient resolution.
We remain confident we can complete the transaction within a one-year customary timeframe and are committed to moving forward with this process. We have already started the regulatory clock and look forward to continuing to work closely with the FTC to support a fact-based review process grounded in the reality of this industry’s evolving competitive landscape.”
Tags: Choice Hotels International Inc., Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Inc.
