Go to Top

Clearwire (CLWR): Unsolicited, Non-Binding Proposal from DISH Network Corporation

Clearwire Corporation (CLWR) is the pioneer in 4G and operator of the first 4G network in the U.S. The Clearwire 4G mobile broadband network now covers more than 130 million people in the U.S. including 35 of the top 40 U.S. markets.

Trading in CLWR was halted after the close of trading, after company’s release a statement that DISH Network had offered a $3.30/share deal versus $2.97/share offer made by Sprint.

The following is a summary of the DISH Proposal:

  1. Spectrum Purchase. DISH would acquire from Clearwire spectrum covering approximately 11.4 billion MHz-POPs (“Spectrum Assets”), representing approximately 24% of Clearwire’s total MHz pops of spectrum, for aggregate net cash proceeds to Clearwire of approximately $2.2 billion.
  2. The net cash proceeds are prior to any adjustment for potential tax liabilities which are likely to arise from the sale of spectrum assets even after utilizing the existing net operating losses. At DISH’s option, Clearwire would also sell or lease up to an additional 2 MHz of Clearwire’s spectrum to DISH from a channel that is adjacent to the Spectrum Assets at a price to be calculated in the same manner as the Spectrum Assets.
  3. Commercial Agreement. Clearwire would, at DISH’s request, provide certain commercial services to DISH, including the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of a wireless network covering AWS-4 spectrum and new deployments of 2.5 GHz spectrum.
  4. Deal Protections. DISH expects appropriate deal protections, including a 5-day match right, similar to those included in the Sprint Agreement. DISH would match Clearwire’s termination rights as provided for in the Sprint transaction (including the possible forgiveness of a portion of the exchangeable notes upon certain termination events).
  5. Sprint Financing. DISH has indicated that the proposal will be withdrawn if Clearwire draws on the financing under the Sprint Financing Agreements.
  6. Acquisition of Clearwire Shares; Governance. DISH would make an offer to Clearwire’s stockholders to purchase up to all of Clearwire’s outstanding shares at a price of $3.30 per share in cash. This tender offer would not be dependent on Sprint’s participation, but would be subject to a number of conditions, including DISH:
  • acquiring no less than 25% of the fully-diluted shares of Clearwire
  • being granted the right to designate Clearwire board members commensurate with its pro forma ownership percentage
  • receiving certain minority protections, including the right to approve material changes to Clearwire’s organizational documents, change of control and material transactions with related parties
  • receiving preemptive rights

In addition, the DISH Proposal would require Clearwire to terminate the note purchase agreement under which Sprint has agreed to provide interim financing to Clearwire and is conditional upon the consummation of the spectrum purchase and Clearwire being in compliance with the commercial agreement.

[…]

In connection with the Sprint Agreement, Clearwire and Sprint also entered into agreements that provide up to $800 million of additional financing to Clearwire in the form of exchangeable notes, which will be exchangeable under certain conditions for Clearwire common stock at $1.50 per share, subject to adjustment under certain conditions (the “Sprint Financing Agreements”).  Under the Sprint Financing Agreements, Sprint has agreed to purchase, at Clearwire’s option, $80 million of exchangeable notes per month for up to 10 months beginning on January 2, 2013 .

The DISH Proposal indicates that it will be withdrawn if Clearwire draws on the financing under the Sprint Financing Agreements.As a result, in order to allow the Special Committee to evaluate the DISH Proposal, at the direction of the Special Committee, Clearwire has revoked its initial draw notice and has not received the first $80 million under the Sprint Financing Agreements. The Special Committee has not made any determination with respect to any future draws under the Sprint Financing Agreements.

The Special Committee of the Clearwire Board of Directors (the “Special Committee”) has determined that its fiduciary duties require it to engage with DISH to discuss, negotiate and/or provide information in connection with the DISH Proposal. The Special Committee has not made any determination to change its recommendation of the current Sprint transaction. Consistent with its obligations under the Sprint Agreement, Clearwire has provided Sprint with notice, and the material terms, of the DISH Proposal:

In response to the DISH Proposal, Clearwire has received a letter from Sprint stating, among other things, that Sprint has reviewed the DISH Proposal and believes that it is illusory, inferior to the Sprint transaction and not viable because it cannot be implemented in light of Clearwire’s current legal and contractual obligations. Sprint has stated that the Sprint Agreement would prohibit Clearwire from entering into agreements for much of the DISH Proposal.

From Nigam Arora, contributor at Forbes blog

Clearwire (CLWR) is a true pot of gold because of the valuable spectrum it owns. As wireless devices continue to proliferate, radio spectrum becomes more valuable. The sad truth is that we cannot make new spectrum; we can only better utilize the spectrum that exists.
Long ago my estimation was that the spectrum owned by Clearwire was worth about $10 per share. Unfortunately, Clearwire took on too much debt in its ill-fated WiMax venture. WiMax technology, at one point promoted by Intel (INTC), is no match for the present day LTE technology.
Clearwire tried to right the ship by attempting to build a nationwide LTE network. Alas, it was not to be as Clearwire’s balance sheet was saddled with too much debt.

 

, ,

One Response to "Clearwire (CLWR): Unsolicited, Non-Binding Proposal from DISH Network Corporation"