Twitter Claps Back at Elon Musk's Termination of $44B Deal
Twitter Claps Back at Elon Musk's Termination of $44B Deal
Twitter Claps Back at Elon Musk's Termination of $44B Deal
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 8, 2022
Twitter, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 001-36164 20-8913779
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (IRS Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
(415) 222-9670
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☒ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2).
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised
financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 8.01 Other Events.
As previously disclosed, on April 25, 2022, Twitter, Inc. (“Twitter”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with X
Holdings I, Inc. (“Parent”), X Holdings II, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Acquisition Sub”), and, solely for the purpose of certain
provisions of the Merger Agreement, Elon R. Musk. The Merger Agreement provides that, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Merger
Agreement, Acquisition Sub will merge with and into Twitter (the “Merger”), with Twitter surviving the Merger and becoming a wholly owned
subsidiary of Parent. Parent is wholly owned by Mr. Musk.
On July 8, 2022, Twitter received a notice of purported termination of the Merger Agreement (the “Notice”). Also on July 8, 2022, Twitter issued a press
release concerning the Notice. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference.
On July 10, 2022, representatives of Twitter sent representatives of Mr. Musk a letter regarding the Notice. A copy of the letter is attached as Exhibit
99.2 and is incorporated by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit No. Description
99.1 Press Release issued by Twitter, Inc., dated July 8, 2022.
99.2 Letter, dated July 10, 2022.
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL).
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
TWITTER, INC.
July 8, 2022
Twitter Board Confident in Merger Agreement and Intends to Close Transaction at $54.20 Per Share Price
SAN FRANCISCO, July 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Twitter, Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) today received a notice of purported termination from Elon Musk and
the Twitter Board issued the following statement in response:
We are committed to closing the transaction on the price and terms agreed upon with Mr. Musk and plan to pursue legal action to enforce the
merger agreement. We are confident we will prevail in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Twitter is what’s happening and what people are talking about right now. To learn more, visit about.twitter.com and follow @Twitter. Let’s talk.
On May 17, 2022, Twitter filed a preliminary proxy statement in connection with its Special Meeting of Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) related to
the pending acquisition of Twitter (the “Transaction”). Prior to the Special Meeting, Twitter will furnish a definitive proxy statement to its stockholders,
together with a proxy card. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY
AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE
BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of individuals
who are participants in the solicitation of proxies of Twitter’s stockholders is available in Twitter’s preliminary proxy statement.
Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, Twitter’s proxy statement (in both preliminary and definitive form), any amendments or supplements thereto,
and any other relevant documents filed by Twitter with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the Special
Meeting at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of Twitter’s definitive proxy statement, any amendments or supplements thereto, and any
other relevant documents filed by Twitter with the SEC in connection with the Special Meeting will also be available, free of charge, at Twitter’s
investor relations website (https://investor.twitterinc.com) or by writing to Twitter, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 1355 Market Street,
Suite 900, San Francisco, California 94103.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the Transaction, including
related to the closing of the Transaction. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of Twitter’s assumptions prove incorrect, Twitter’s
actual results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties
include those associated with: the possibility that the conditions to the closing of the Transaction are not satisfied, including the risk that required
approvals from Twitter’s stockholders for the Transaction or required regulatory approvals to consummate the Transaction are not obtained; potential
litigation relating to the Transaction; uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the Transaction; the ability of each party to consummate the
Transaction; possible disruption related to the Transaction to Twitter’s current plans and operations, including through the loss of customers and
employees; and other risks and uncertainties detailed in the periodic reports that Twitter files with the SEC, including Twitter’s Annual Report on Form
10-K filed with the SEC on February 16, 2022, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 2, 2022, which may be obtained on the
investor relations section of Twitter’s website (https://investor.twitterinc.com). All forward-looking statements in this communication are based on
information available to Twitter as of the date of this communication, and Twitter does not assume any obligation
to update the forward-looking statements provided to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made, except
as required by law.
Contacts
Investors:
[email protected]
Press:
[email protected]
Exhibit 99.2
July 10, 2022
By E-mail
Dear Mr. Ringler:
This letter is sent on behalf of Twitter, Inc. (“Twitter” or “the Company”) in response to your July 8, 2022 letter, in which X Holdings I, Inc.
purports to terminate the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Agreement”) by and among Twitter, X Holdings I, Inc. (“Parent”), X Holdings II, Inc.
(“Acquisition Sub”), and Elon R. Musk (together with Parent and Acquisition Sub, the “Musk Parties”). Capitalized terms used here and not otherwise
defined have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreement.
Mr. Musk’s and the other Musk Parties’ purported termination is invalid and wrongful, and it constitutes a repudiation of their obligations under
the Agreement. Contrary to the assertions in your letter, Twitter has breached none of its obligations under the Agreement, and Twitter has not suffered
and is not likely to suffer a Company Material Adverse Effect. The purported termination is invalid for the independent reason that Mr. Musk and the
other Musk Parties have knowingly, intentionally, willfully, and materially breached the Agreement, including but not limited to Sections 6.3, 6.8, and
6.10 thereof. The Agreement is not terminated, the Bank Debt Commitment Letter and the Equity Commitment Letter remain in effect, and Twitter
demands that Mr. Musk and the other Musk Parties comply with their obligations under the Agreement, including their obligations to use their respective
reasonable best efforts to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by the Agreement (including by taking all steps necessary to
obtain a favorable outcome under the United Kingdom’s National Security and Investment Act 2021), the Bank Debt Commitment Letter, and the Equity
Commitment Letter. As it has done, Twitter will continue to provide information reasonably requested by Mr. Musk under the Agreement and to
diligently take all measures required to close the transaction.
Twitter reserves all contractual, legal, and other rights, including its right to specifically enforce the Musk Parties’ obligations under the
Agreement.
Sincerely,
cc:
Vijaya Gadde, Twitter, Inc.
Martin W. Korman, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
Brad Sorrels, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.
Alan M. Klein, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Elon Musk
X Holdings I, Inc.
X Holdings II, Inc.
Alex Spiro, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
Andrew Rossman, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP
James A. Florack, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, as counsel to the Debt Financing Sources party to the Bank Debt Commitment Letter