PLANO, Texas & ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 13, 2018--
Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ/NGS:RCII) (“Rent-A-Center” or the
“Company”), a leader in the rent-to-own industry, and Vintage Capital
Management, LLC (“Vintage Capital”), a private and public equity
investor with a controlling interest in Buddy’s Newco LLC d/b/a Buddy’s
Home Furnishings (“Buddy’s”), a privately-held rent-to-own company,
today announced that both the Company and Buddy’s received a Request for
Additional Information and Documentary Materials (commonly known as a
“Second Request”) from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) in
connection with the pending acquisition of Rent-A-Center by affiliates
of Vintage Capital (the “Merger”). The Second Request was issued under
notification requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust
Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the “HSR Act”).
The effect of the Second Request is to extend the current waiting period
imposed by the HSR Act until 30 days after Rent-A-Center and Buddy’s
have substantially complied with the request, unless that period is
extended voluntarily by the parties or terminated sooner by the FTC.
Rent-A-Center and Buddy’s continue to cooperate fully with the FTC. The
parties intend to complete the Merger as soon as practicable following
receipt of regulatory clearance from the FTC. The Company and Vintage
Capital currently expect the Merger to close during the first quarter of
2019.
The special meeting of Rent-A-Center’s stockholders to approve the
Merger remains scheduled for Tuesday, September 18, 2018.
About Rent-A-Center, Inc.
A rent-to-own industry leader, Plano, Texas-based, Rent-A-Center, Inc.,
is focused on improving the quality of life for its customers by
providing them the opportunity to obtain ownership of high-quality,
durable products such as consumer electronics, appliances, computers,
furniture and accessories, under flexible rental purchase agreements
with no long-term obligation. The Company owns and operates
approximately 2,350 stores in the United States, Mexico, Canada and
Puerto Rico, and approximately 1,250 Acceptance Now kiosk locations in
the United States and Puerto Rico. Rent-A-Center Franchising
International, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, is a
national franchiser of approximately 250 rent-to-own stores operating
under the trade names of “Rent-A-Center,” “ColorTyme,” and “RimTyme.”
For additional information about the Company, please visit its website
at www.rentacenter.com.
About Vintage Capital Management, LLC
Vintage is a value-oriented, operations-focused, private and public
equity investor specializing in the consumer, aerospace and defense, and
manufacturing sectors. Vintage is the controlling shareholder of Buddy’s
Newco LLC d/b/a Buddy’s Home Furnishings, a privately-held rent-to-own
company with approximately 300 company-owned and franchised locations
across the U.S. and Guam. For additional information about Vintage,
please visit www.vintcap.com.
For additional information about Buddy’s, please visit www.buddyrents.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication may constitute
“forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements with
respect to the proposed Merger, the benefits of the proposed Merger, and
the anticipated timing of consummation of the proposed Merger.
Forward-looking statements can be generally identified by the use of
words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,”
“believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “intends,” “continue,” “will,”
“could,” “should,” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or
similar terminology. These statements reflect only the Company’s current
expectations and are not guarantees of future performance or results.
Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in, or reasonably inferred from, such statements.
Specific factors that could cause actual results to differ from results
contemplated by forward-looking statements include, among others, the
occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give
rise to the termination of the Company’s merger agreement with Vintage
Capital; unknown, underestimated or undisclosed commitments or
liabilities; the inability to complete the Merger due to the failure to
obtain stockholder approval of the Merger or the failure to satisfy
other conditions to completion of the Merger, including that a
governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for
the consummation of the transaction; risks regarding the failure of
certain affiliates of Vintage Capital to obtain the necessary debt
and/or equity financing to complete the Merger; risks relating to
operations of the business and financial results of the Company if the
merger agreement is terminated; risks related to disruption of
management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations
due to the Merger; the effect of the pending Merger on the Company’s
relationships with third parties, including its employees, franchisees,
customers, suppliers, business partners and vendors, which make it more
difficult to maintain business and operations relationships, and may
negatively impact the operating results of the four core business
segments and business generally; the risk that certain approvals or
consents will not be received in a timely manner or that the Merger will
not be consummated in a timely manner; adverse changes in U.S. and
non-U.S. governmental laws and regulations; and the impact of any
adverse legal judgments, fines, penalties, injunctions or settlements
with respect to any Merger-related litigation.
Therefore, caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any
such forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation (and
specifically disclaim any such obligation) to publicly update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as required by law. For additional
discussion of potential risks and uncertainties that could impact our
results of operations or financial position, refer to Part I, Item 1A.
Risk Factors in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2017 (our “2017 Form 10-K”) and Part II, Item 1A. Risk Factors in our
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2018 and
June 30, 2018 (our “2018 Form 10-Qs”). There have been no material
changes to the risk factors disclosed in our 2017 Form 10-K and 2018
Form 10-Qs.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication is being made in respect of the proposed Merger
involving the Company and certain affiliates of Vintage Capital. This
communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation
of an offer to buy our securities or the solicitation of any vote or
approval. The proposed Merger of the Company will be submitted to the
Company’s stockholders for their consideration. In connection with the
proposed transaction, the Company filed a definitive proxy statement
with the SEC on August 15, 2018. The definitive proxy statement was
mailed to the Company’s stockholders on or about August 16, 2018. BEFORE
MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED
TRANSACTION, INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF RENT-A-CENTER, INC. ARE URGED
TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED
TRANSACTION (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER
RELEVANT MATERIALS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. The proxy
statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and other relevant
materials, and any other documents filed by the Company with the SEC,
may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
In addition, the Company’s stockholders may obtain free copies of the
documents filed with the SEC through the Investors portion of the
Company’s website at www.rentacenter.com
or by contacting the Company’s Investor Relations Department by (a) mail
at Rent-A-Center, Inc., Attention: Maureen Short, Investor Relations,
5501 Headquarters Drive, Plano, TX 75024, (b) telephone at (972)
801-1899, or (c) e-mail at maureen.short@rentacenter.com.
You may also read and copy any reports, statements and other information
filed by the Company with the SEC at the SEC public reference room at
450 Fifth Street, N.W. Room 1200, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call
the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 or visit the SEC’s website for further
information on its public reference room.
Participants in the Solicitation
The Company and certain of its executive officers, directors, other
members of management and employees, may under the rules of the SEC, be
deemed to be “participants” in the solicitation of proxies from the
Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed Merger.
Information regarding the persons who may be considered “participants”
in the solicitation of proxies is set forth in the Company’s definitive
proxy statement filed with the SEC on August 15, 2018 and other relevant
documents that may be filed with the SEC. Information regarding certain
of these persons and their beneficial ownership of the Company’s common
stock is also set forth in the 2017 Form 10-K and the Company’s
definitive proxy statements filed with the SEC on April 24, 2018 and
August 15, 2018.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180913006069/en/
Source: Rent-A-Center, Inc.
Rent-A-Center, Inc.
Maureen Short, 972-801-1899
Interim
Chief Financial Officer
maureen.short@rentacenter.com
or
Vintage
Capital Management, LLC:
Andrew Laurence, Partner, 617-690-2580
alaurence@vintcap.com