SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zendesk, Inc. (NYSE: ZEN) today confirmed that its Board of Directors received, thoroughly reviewed and rejected an unsolicited, non-binding proposal from a consortium of private equity firms to acquire all of Zendesk’s outstanding shares in an all-cash transaction valued at $127-$132 per share.
In connection with the proposal, Zendesk’s Board of Directors issued the following statement:
“Zendesk’s Board of Directors is always open to all opportunities to maximize shareholder value and is fully committed to acting in the best interests of Zendesk and all of its shareholders. Consistent with its fiduciary obligations, after careful review and consideration conducted in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, the Board concluded that this non-binding proposal significantly undervalues the Company and is not in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The proposal is not conditioned on the termination of Zendesk’s pending acquisition of Momentive.”
“The Board continues to believe strongly that the continued execution of its strategic plan, including the proposed acquisition of Momentive, will generate substantial additional long-term value for shareholders. The Board unanimously recommends a vote FOR its proposal to approve the issuance of Zendesk stock in connection with the transaction at the shareholder meeting on February 25.”
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication relates to a proposed business combination transaction between Zendesk, Inc. (“Zendesk”) and Momentive Global Inc. (“Momentive”). In connection with the proposed transaction, Zendesk filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “registration statement”) that includes a joint proxy statement of Zendesk and Momentive and that also constitutes a prospectus of Zendesk with respect to shares of Zendesk common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction (the “joint proxy statement/prospectus”). The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus has been sent to Zendesk stockholders and Momentive stockholders. Each of Zendesk and Momentive may also file other relevant documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF ZENDESK AND MOMENTIVE ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT, JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE OR WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MOMENTIVE, ZENDESK AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION.
Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC by Zendesk or Momentive through the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). Copies of the documents filed by Zendesk with the SEC also may be obtained free of charge at Zendesk’s investor relations website at https://investor.zendesk.com or upon written request to Zendesk, Inc. at 989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Momentive will be available free of charge by accessing Momentive’s investor relations website at investor.momentive.ai or upon written request to Momentive at One Curiosity Way, San Mateo, California 94403.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication may contain forward-looking statements, including, among other things, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction, the anticipated impact of the proposed transaction on the combined company’s business and future financial and operating results, the expected amount and timing of anticipated synergies from the proposed transaction, the anticipated timing of closing of the proposed transaction and other aspects of Zendesk’s or Momentive’s operations or operating results. Words such as “may,” “should,” “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “project,” and similar phrases that denote future expectations or intent regarding the combined company’s financial results, operations, and other matters are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this communication, including (i) the ability to complete the proposed transaction within the time frame anticipated or at all; (ii) the failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction or those benefits taking longer than anticipated to be realized; (iii) the risk that uncertainty about the proposed transaction may adversely affect relationships with Zendesk’s customers, partners, suppliers, and employees, whether or not the transaction is completed; (iv) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on the ability of Zendesk or Momentive to retain and hire key personnel; (v) the risk that disruptions from the proposed transaction will harm Zendesk’s or Momentive’s business, including current plans and operations; (vi) current or future litigation related to the proposed transaction and the resulting expense or delay; (vii) the failure to obtain stockholder or regulatory approvals in a timely manner or otherwise; (viii) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of one or both of Zendesk or Momentive to terminate the proposed transaction; (ix) the diversion of the attention of the respective management teams of Zendesk and Momentive from their respective ongoing business operations; (x) the ability of Zendesk to successfully integrate Momentive’s operations and technologies; (xi) the ability of Zendesk to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to its business after the completion of the transaction and realize expected synergies; (xii) the effect of uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. and global markets, Zendesk’s or Momentive’s respective business, operations, revenue, cash flow, operating expenses, hiring, demand for their respective solutions, sales cycles, customer retention, and their respective customers’ businesses and industries; (xiii) risks relating to the market value of Zendesk’s common stock to be issued in the proposed transaction; (xiv) Zendesk’s ability to adapt its products to changing market dynamics and customer preferences or achieve increased market acceptance of its products; (xv) the intensely competitive market in which Zendesk operates; (xvi) the development of the market for software as a service business software applications; (xvii) Zendesk’s substantial reliance on its customers renewing their subscriptions and purchasing additional subscriptions; (xviii) Zendesk’s ability to effectively market and sell its products to larger enterprises; (xix) Zendesk’s ability to develop or acquire and market new products and to support its products on a unified, reliable shared services platform; (xx) Zendesk’s reliance on third-party services, including services for hosting, email, and messaging; (xxi) Zendesk’s ability to retain key employees and attract qualified personnel, particularly in the primary regions Zendesk operates; (xxii) Zendesk’s ability to effectively manage its growth and organizational change, including its international expansion strategy; (xxiii) Zendesk’s expectation that the future growth rate of its revenues will decline, and that, as its costs increase, Zendesk may not be able to generate sufficient revenues to achieve or sustain profitability; (xxiv) Zendesk’s ability to integrate acquired businesses and technologies successfully or achieve the expected benefits of such acquisitions; (xxv) real or perceived errors, failures, or bugs in Zendesk’s products; (xxvi) potential service interruptions or performance problems associated with Zendesk’s technology and infrastructure; (xxvii) Zendesk’s ability to securely maintain customer data and prevent, mitigate, and respond effectively to both historical and future data breaches; (xxviii) Zendesk’s ability to comply with privacy and data security regulations; (xxix) Zendesk’s ability to optimize the pricing for its solutions; and (xxx) other adverse changes in general economic or market conditions. The forward-looking statements contained in this communication are also subject to additional risks, uncertainties, and factors, including those described in Zendesk’s and Momentive’s most recent Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed by either of them from time to time with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date hereof. Zendesk and Momentive do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements made in this communication to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of 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. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
About Zendesk
Zendesk started the customer experience revolution in 2007 by enabling any business around the world to take their customer service online. Today, Zendesk is the champion of great service everywhere for everyone, and powers billions of conversations, connecting more than 100,000 brands with hundreds of millions of customers over telephony, chat, email, messaging, social channels, communities, review sites and help centers. Zendesk products are built with love to be loved. The company was conceived in Copenhagen, Denmark, built and grown in California, taken public in New York City, and today employs more than 5,000 people across the world. Learn more at www.zendesk.com.
