Cendant Completes Spin-Off of Its Mortgage and Fleet Businesses
01 2월 2005 - 7:37AM
PR Newswire (US)
Cendant Completes Spin-Off of Its Mortgage and Fleet Businesses
Company Continues to Sharpen Focus on Core Travel and Real Estate
Businesses NEW YORK, Jan. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cendant
Corporation (NYSE:CD) announced today that it has completed the
previously announced spin-off of its mortgage and fleet management
businesses through the distribution to its stockholders of 100
percent of the shares of its previously wholly-owned subsidiary,
PHH Corporation. In addition, Cendant announced that it has entered
into a mortgage venture with PHH, which Cendant expects to be
operational in mid-2005. The venture will originate mortgage loans
for customers of Cendant's real estate brokerage and relocation
businesses. Today, Cendant distributed one share of PHH common
stock for every 20 shares of Cendant common stock outstanding as of
January 19, 2005. Cash will be issued in lieu of fractional shares.
The distribution was structured to qualify as a tax-free stock
dividend to Cendant stockholders for U.S. federal income tax
purposes, although cash received instead of fractional shares will
be taxable. The distribution resulted in the issuance of
approximately 52.7 million shares of PHH common stock. On February
1, 2005, PHH common stock is expected to begin regular-way trading
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "PHH," and Cendant
will begin trading excluding PHH. "We are making significant
progress on our strategic plan to simplify our business by focusing
solely on our core travel and real estate services verticals," said
Ronald L. Nelson, Cendant's president and chief financial officer.
"The PHH spin-off completes the next step in Cendant's program to
divest itself of profitable, but non-core business units, a process
that began with the successful IPO of Jackson Hewitt in June 2004."
As previously disclosed, Cendant expects to record a non-cash
impairment charge in connection with the spin-off of PHH to reflect
any difference between PHH's carrying value and PHH's market value.
The Company anticipates that such non-cash charge will be in the
range of $500 million to $650 million after-tax ($0.47 to $0.61 per
share). Approximately one-third of this charge will be allocated to
continuing operations and approximately two-thirds to discontinued
operations, reflecting the relative values of the mortgage and
fleet businesses, respectively, and the fact that mortgage will not
be accounted for as a discontinued operation. The Company does not
anticipate recording a tax benefit associated with this charge.
Separately, Cendant intends to dispose of its ownership interest in
its Wright Express subsidiary in an initial public offering
expected to take place in February 2005. Cendant anticipates it
will receive more than $1.0 billion in cash proceeds from the
Wright Express disposition, inclusive of the equity offering
proceeds and a one-time dividend payable to Cendant at closing.
Cendant expects to record a gain on the sale of Wright Express in
the range of $200 million to $300 million after-tax ($0.19-$0.28
per share), partially offsetting the non-cash impairment charge
related to PHH. The Company further anticipates that it will use
its net operating loss carry-forwards to offset any federal taxes
that may be due on the gain. Additionally, Cendant reconfirmed its
previously disclosed intent to dispose of its Marketing Services
Division, including its Progeny Marketing Innovations, Trilegiant
and Cims businesses, and anticipates the disposition of the
division will take place in the third quarter of 2005. A
registration statement relating to the shares of Wright Express
common stock has been filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission but has not yet become effective. The shares of Wright
Express common stock may not be sold nor may offers to buy be
accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes
effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell
or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale
of the shares of Wright Express common stock in any state in which
such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to
registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such
state. A copy of the prospectus relating to the shares of Wright
Express common stock may be obtained, when available, from J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc., Prospectus Department, One Chase Manhattan
Plaza, New York, NY 10081 (Telephone: (212) 552-5164); Credit
Suisse First Boston LLC, Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue,
Level 1B, New York, New York 10010 by faxing a request to (212)
325-8057; or Merrill Lynch & Co. at 4 World Financial Center,
New York, New York 10080 (Telephone: (212) 449-1000). Cendant can
give no assurances that the Wright Express initial public offering
or the disposition of the Marketing Services Division will be
consummated. Prior to consummating the initial public offering,
Cendant and Wright Express will need to complete the negotiation of
financial and other terms, including the initial public offering
price. In addition, consummation of the initial public offering is
subject to market conditions and other factors outside of the
control of Cendant and Wright Express. Statements about future
results made in this release, including the pending initial public
offering of Wright Express and the disposition of the Marketing
Services Division, constitute forward-looking statements within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements are based on current expectations and the current
economic environment. The Company cautions that these statements
are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ
materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking
statements. Important assumptions and other important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements are specified in Cendant's Form 10-Q for
the quarter ended September 30, 2004. About Cendant Corporation
Cendant Corporation is primarily a provider of travel and
residential real estate services. With approximately 80,000
employees, New York City-based Cendant provides these services to
business and consumers in over 100 countries. More information
about Cendant, its companies, brands and current SEC filings may be
obtained by visiting the Company's Web site at
http://www.cendant.com/. About PHH Corporation Headquartered in
Mount Laurel, N.J., PHH Corporation is a leading outsource provider
of mortgage and vehicle fleet management services. It is the
sixth-largest retail originator of residential mortgages in the
United States and the second-largest fleet management services
provider in the United States and Canada. For additional
information on the company and its subsidiaries please visit
http://www.phh.com/. DATASOURCE: Cendant Corporation CONTACT: Media
Contact, Mark Panus, +1-973-496-7215, or Investor Contacts, Sam
Levenson, +1-212-413-1834, or Henry A. Diamond, +1-212-413-1920,
all of Cendant Corporation; or Media Contact, Karen McCallson,
+1-856-917-0308, or Investor Contact, Nancy Kyle, +1-856-917-4268,
both of PHH Corporation Web site: http://www.cendant.com/
http://www.phh.com/
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