5/22/2013 8:41:45 PM EDT
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. - FCX - To Acquire Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) and McMoRan Exploration Co (MMR)12/5/2012 12:01:09 PM
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX), Plains Exploration & Production Company (NYSE: PXP) and McMoRan Exploration Co. (NYSE: MMR) announced that they have signed definitive merger agreements under which FCX will acquire PXP for approximately $6.9 billion in cash and stock and FCX will acquire MMR for approximately $3.4 billion in cash, or $2.1 billion net of 36 percent of the MMR interests currently owned by FCX and PXP. Upon closing, MMR shareholders will also receive a distribution of units in a royalty trust which will hold a 5 percent overriding royalty interest on future production in MMR’s existing shallow water ultra-deep properties.
James R. Moffett, Chairman of the Board of FCX, said: “FCX has been built through our exploration and development capabilities, and this transaction will enable us to add assets with exceptional exploration and development potential to a world-class mining company to create a premier minerals and oil and gas business focused on value creation for shareholders. The transaction offers significant values to the MMR and PXP shareholders and will enable FCX to build on these values through a much larger, well capitalized platform. We are pleased to add the PXP and MMR oil and gas teams to FCX’s global family. The combined mining and oil and gas teams have significant management depth in operations, technical innovation, project development and financial management, and share a strong commitment to safety, community development and environmental management.” Terms Of The Transactions The terms of the transactions were negotiated by and recommended to the board of directors of each of FCX and MMR by separate special committees of independent directors. The transactions are expected to close in the second quarter of 2013. Plains Exploration & Production Company FCX has agreed to acquire PXP for per-share consideration consisting of 0.6531 shares of FCX common stock and $25.00 in cash, equivalent to total consideration of $50.00 per PXP share, based on the closing price of FCX stock on December 4, 2012. This represents a premium of 39 percent to the PXP closing price on December 4, 2012, and 42 percent to its one-month average price at that date. PXP shareholders may elect to receive cash or stock consideration, subject to proration in the event of oversubscription, with the value of the cash and stock per-share consideration to be equalized at closing. Aggregate consideration to the PXP shareholders is expected to consist of approximately $3.4 billion in cash and approximately 91 million shares of FCX common stock. McMoRan Exploration Co. FCX has agreed to acquire MMR for per-share consideration consisting of $14.75 in cash and 1.15 units of a royalty trust, which will hold a 5 percent overriding royalty interest in future production from MMR’s existing ultra-deep exploration properties. The cash consideration of $14.75 per share represents a premium of 74 percent to the MMR closing price on December 4, 2012, and 31 percent to its one-month average price at that date. The cash portion of the transaction totals $2.1 billion, excluding payment for MMR interests currently held by FCX and PXP. The cash premium, excluding interests held by FCX and PXP, totals approximately $900 million. About FREEPORT-Mcmoran COPPER & GOLD - FCX FCX is a leading international mining company with headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. FCX operates large, long-lived, geographically diverse assets with significant proven and probable reserves of copper, gold and molybdenum. FCX has a dynamic portfolio of operating, expansion and growth projects in the copper industry and is the world's largest producer of molybdenum. About Plains Exploration & Production Company - PXP PXP is an independent oil and gas company primarily engaged in the activities of acquiring, developing, exploring and producing oil and gas in California, Texas, Louisiana, and the Deepwater Gulf of Mexico. PXP is headquartered in Houston, Texas. About Mcmoran Exploration Co- MMR McMoRan Exploration Co. is an independent public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico Shelf and onshore in the Gulf Coast area. |
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