UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )
Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box:
☐ | Preliminary Proxy Statement | |
☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) | |
☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement | |
☐ | Definitive Additional Materials | |
☒ | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 |
VONAGE HOLDINGS CORP.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
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☒ | No fee required. | |||
☐ | Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. | |||
(1) | Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
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(2) | Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
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(3) | Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
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(4) | Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
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(5) | Total fee paid:
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☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. | |||
☐ | Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. | |||
(1) | Amount Previously Paid:
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(2) | Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
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(3) | Filing Party:
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(4) | Date Filed:
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Talking Points for Use with Team Members
When discussing this announcement, it is important to stay on message. Please rely on the approved talking points provided below when speaking with your team.
What we Announced
• | Vonage is taking an exciting step forward in our journey to accelerate the world’s ability to connect and help our customers do what’s next now to stay ahead. |
• | We announced an agreement to be acquired by Ericsson, further accelerating our shared vision of leading and creating technology and services that are changing the world. |
• | Ericsson is a Swedish multinational networking and telecommunications company and one of the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology. |
• | Its offering ranges across Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services and Emerging Business, powered by 5G and IoT platforms. |
• | We believe that joining Ericsson is in the best interests of our customers, partners, shareholders and you, our team members. |
• | This is testament to Vonage’s leadership position in business cloud communications, our innovative product offering, and outstanding team members. |
• | By joining Ericsson, we can deliver significant value for our customers, our partners, developers, our shareholders, and our team members. |
What this Means for Team Members
• | Ericsson recognizes the value we bring to our customers across our full offering of unified communications, contact center and APIs, and are impressed with our transformation and growth. |
• | Ericsson intends to add investment to Vonage’s current business – both in R&D and sales and marketing—to accelerate growth. They also appreciate the talent of our incredible global team and understand the power of our VCP platform. |
• | Upon closing of the transaction, the entirety of the company will become wholly owned by Ericsson, which includes our Vonage team members and the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). |
• | Vonage will report as an independent entity within Ericsson. It will retain its own name and brand and Rory will become a part of Ericsson’s Executive Team, reporting to President and CEO, Börje Ekholm. We will continue to operate under the Vonage brand within Ericsson, and execute on our strategy and growth plans. |
• | We will continue to provide our customers with products, solutions and support to help them achieve their business and digital transformation goals. |
• | Ericsson and Vonage have a shared ambition to accelerate our long-term growth strategy. |
• | The combination of Vonage’s customer base and developer community and Ericsson’s deep network expertise, 26,000 R&D specialists and global reach creates opportunities to accelerate standalone strategies and innovation in the market. |
• | Together, we can benefit from even greater opportunities to serve our customers and create value far exceeding what would otherwise be possible independently. |
• | This includes bringing the power of the 4G and 5G network to the developer—wherever and whenever they need it—and ensuring the quality of critical services like remote telemedicine, immersive virtual education and autonomous vehicles as well as experiential performance benefits in gaming, augmented and extended reality, over wireless. |
Next Steps
• | We expect that this transaction will close within the first half of 2022, subject to the approval of Vonage shareholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Until then, Vonage and Ericsson will continue to operate as separate companies. |
• | This means that it will continue to be business as usual for all of us. |
• | As always, we are focused on delivering on our commitments to our customers as we continue to realize our vision of accelerating the world’s ability to connect, driven by accountability, collaboration, trust and excellence. Vonage Does That. |
• | Please keep in mind that we only just announced this transaction, and there are still details to be worked out. |
• | That said, if you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and I will help to the best of my ability. |
• | Thank you for your continued dedication to Vonage and executing on our vision of accelerating the world’s ability to connect. |
• | Let’s keep up the great work! |
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the proposed merger, the Company intends to file relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, the Company will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the proposed merger. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN FILED WITH THE SEC, AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED BY THE COMPANY WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE BUSINESS TO BE CONDUCTED AT THE SPECIAL MEETING. All such documents, when filed, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or upon request by contacting the Company, Investor Relations, via email at ir@vonage.com. The Company’s filings with the SEC are also available on the Company’s website at https://ir.vonage.com/.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders with respect to the proposed merger. Information about the Company’s directors and executive officers and their ownership of the Company’s common stock is set forth in the proxy statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 26, 2021 and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021. To the extent that such individual’s holdings of the Company’s common stock have changed since the amounts printed in the Company’s proxy statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Information regarding the identity of the potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests in the proposed merger, by security holdings or otherwise, will be set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with SEC in connection with the proposed merger.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the effects of the proposed acquisition of the Company by Ericsson, that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In addition, other statements in this communication that are not historical facts or information may be forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this communication are based on information available at the time the statements are made and/or management’s belief as of that time with respect to future events and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to be materially different. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement; the inability to complete the proposed merger due to the failure to obtain stockholder approval for the proposed merger or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed merger; risks related to disruption of management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations due to the transaction; the effect of the announcement of the proposed merger on the Company’s relationships with its customers, operating results and business generally; the risk that the proposed merger will not be consummated in a timely manner; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the competition we face; the expansion of competition in the cloud communications market; risks related to the acquisition or integration of businesses we have acquired; our ability to adapt to rapid changes in the cloud communications market; the nascent state of the cloud communications for business market; our ability to retain customers and attract new customers cost-effectively; developing and maintaining market awareness and a strong brand; developing and maintaining effective distribution channels; security breaches and other compromises of information security; risks associated with sales of our services to medium-sized and enterprise customers; our reliance on third-party hardware and software; our dependence on third-party vendors; system disruptions or flaws in our technology and systems; our ability to comply with data privacy and related regulatory matters; our ability to scale our business and grow efficiently; the impact of fluctuations in economic conditions, particularly on our small and medium business customers; the effects of significant foreign currency fluctuations; our ability to obtain or maintain relevant intellectual property licenses or to protect our trademarks and internally developed software; fraudulent use of our name or services; restrictions in our debt agreements that may limit our operating flexibility; our ability to obtain additional financing if required; retaining senior executives and other key employees; intellectual property and other litigation that have been and may be brought against us; rapid developments in global API regulation and uncertainties relating to regulation of VoIP services; risks associated with legislative, regulatory or judicial actions regarding our business products; reliance on third parties for our 911 services; liability under anti-corruption laws or from governmental export controls or economic sanctions; actions of activist shareholders; risks associated with the taxation of our business; governmental regulation and taxes in our international operations; our history of net losses and ability to achieve consistent profitability in the future; our ability to fully realize the benefits of our net operating loss carry-forwards if an ownership change occurs; risks associated with the settlement and conditional conversion of our Convertible Senior Notes; potential effects the capped call transactions may have on our stock in connection with our Convertible Senior Notes; certain provisions of our charter documents; and other factors that are set forth in the “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. While the Company may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so except as required by law, and therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to today.