e8vk
 
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 17, 2010
CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
DELAWARE
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
     
1-10323   74-2099724
(Commission File Number)   (IRS Employer Identification No.)
     
1600 Smith Street, Dept. HQSEO, Houston, Texas   77002
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)
(713) 324-2950
(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
 
(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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):
þ   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 
 

 


 

Item 5.07. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
     At the Special Meeting of Stockholders (the “Special Meeting”) of Continental Airlines, Inc. (the “Company”) held on September 17, 2010, the Company’s stockholders approved the adoption of the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 2, 2010 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among UAL Corporation (“UAL”), the Company and JT Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAL. The vote tabulation is set forth below:
             
For   Against   Abstain   Broker Non-Votes
             
106,759,777   1,085,680   48,363  
     In connection with the Special Meeting, the Company also solicited proxies with respect to a proposal to adjourn the Special Meeting, if necessary or appropriate, for the purpose of soliciting additional proxies. The adjournment proposal, which was unnecessary in light of the approval of the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the Company’s stockholders as indicated above, was not submitted to the Company’s stockholders for approval at the Special Meeting.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
     On September 17, 2010, the Company issued a press release announcing the results of the Special Meeting. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  (d)   Exhibits
99.1   Press Release issued by Continental Airlines, Inc. dated September 17, 2010

 


 

SIGNATURE
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Continental Airlines, Inc. has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
         
  CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC.
 
 
September 17, 2010  By  /s/ Jennifer L. Vogel    
    Jennifer L. Vogel   
    Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer   

 


 

         
EXHIBIT INDEX
99.1   Press Release issued by Continental Airlines, Inc. dated September 17, 2010

 

exv99w1
Exhibit 99.1
     
News Release
  (CONTINENTAL AIRLINES LOGO)
     
Contact:
  Corporate Communications
Houston:
  713.324-5080
Email:
  media.relations@coair.com
News archive:
  continental.com/company/news/       Address: P.O. Box 4607, Houston, TX 77210-4607
CONTINENTAL STOCKHOLDERS APPROVE MERGER
Merger currently expected to close by October 1
     HOUSTON, Sept. 17, 2010 — Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) announced that its stockholders voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of UAL Corporation (NASDAQ: UAUA) with and into Continental at a special meeting held today in Houston, Texas. UAL Corporation’s primary subsidiary is United Airlines. More than 98 percent of the votes cast and 75 percent of shares outstanding were voted in favor of the transaction.
     “We are grateful for our stockholders’ strong vote of confidence in this merger,” said Jeff Smisek, Continental’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “In approving the transaction, our stockholders recognized the value of bringing together Continental and United to create a platform for increased profitability and sustainable long-term value.”
     Stockholders of UAL Corporation also voted to approve the merger today at a meeting held in Chicago, Illinois.
     Continental and United announced an all-stock merger of equals on May 3, 2010. The companies have received clearance on the proposed merger from the United States Department of Justice and the European Commission. The merger is currently expected to close by Oct. 1, 2010.
About Continental Airlines
     Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 2,700 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 132 domestic and 137 international destinations. Continental is a member of Star Alliance, which overall offers more than 21,200 daily flights to 1,172 airports in 181 countries through its 28 member airlines. With more than 40,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with its regional partners, carries approximately 63 million passengers per year. For more company information, go to continental.com.
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Important Information For Investors And Stockholders
In connection with the proposed merger of equals transaction between UAL Corporation (“UAL”) and Continental Airlines, Inc. (“Continental”), UAL filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and the SEC declared effective on August 18, 2010, a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a joint proxy statement of Continental and UAL that also constitutes a prospectus of UAL. UAL AND CONTINENTAL URGE INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about UAL and Continental through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by UAL are available free of charge on UAL’s website at www.united.com under the tab “Investor Relations” or by contacting UAL’s Investor Relations Department at (312) 997-8610. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Continental are available free of charge on Continental’s website at www.continental.com under the tab “About Continental” and then under the tab “Investor Relations” or by contacting Continental’s Investor Relations Department at (713) 324-5152.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are not limited to historical facts, but reflect Continental’s and UAL’s current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events. Words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “project,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “target,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Continental’s and UAL’s expectations with respect to the synergies, costs and other anticipated financial impacts of the proposed transaction; future financial and operating results of the combined company; the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions with respect to future operations and services; approval of the proposed transaction by stockholders and by governmental regulatory authorities; the satisfaction of the closing conditions to the proposed transaction; and the timing of the completion of the proposed transaction.
All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, many of which are generally outside the control of Continental and UAL and are difficult to predict. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (1) the possibility that the proposed transaction is delayed or does not close, including due to the failure to receive required stockholder or regulatory approvals, the taking of governmental action (including the passage of legislation) to block the transaction, or the failure of other closing conditions, and (2) the possibility that the expected synergies will not be realized, or will not be realized within the expected time period, because of, among other things, significant volatility in the cost of aircraft fuel, the high leverage and other significant capital commitments of Continental and UAL, the ability to obtain financing and to refinance the combined company’s debt, the ability of Continental and UAL to maintain and utilize their respective net operating losses, the impact of labor relations, global economic conditions, fluctuations in exchange rates, competitive actions taken by other airlines, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, difficulties in integrating the two airlines, the willingness of customers to travel by air, actions taken or conditions imposed by the U.S. and foreign governments or other regulatory matters, excessive taxation, further industry consolidation and changes in airlines alliances, the availability and cost of insurance and public health threats.
UAL and Continental caution that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional information concerning these and other risk factors is contained in Continental’s and UAL’s most recently filed Annual Reports on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Continental, UAL, the proposed transaction or other matters and attributable to Continental or UAL or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Neither Continental nor UAL undertakes any obligation to publicly update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date hereof.
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(A STAR ALLIANCE MEMBER LOGO)