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8-K - FORM 8-K - BORDERS GROUP INC | k49426e8vk.htm |
EX-2.1 - EX-2.1 - BORDERS GROUP INC | k49426exv2w1.htm |
Exhibit 99.1
News Release
Media Contact:
Mary Davis
(734) 477-1374
Mary Davis
(734) 477-1374
Borders Group Reaches Agreement to Sell Paperchase Products Limited for $31 Million; Proceeds
Will Be Used to Reduce Debt
ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 13, 2010 Borders Group (NYSE: BGP) today announced that the company
has entered into an agreement to sell Paperchase Products Limited (Paperchase) to Primary Capital
Limited, a leading U.K.-based private equity firm. Paperchase, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Borders
Group, is a retailer of stationery, cards and gifts based in the U.K. Under the agreement, Borders
Group will continue to purchase and carry products designed and sourced by Paperchase in its U.S.
stores.
The company will receive proceeds of approximately $31 million (USD based on current exchange
rates) upon closing, which is expected within the next week. The company is required to use $25
million of the proceeds to reduce the amount outstanding under its $90 million term loan credit
facility. The completion of the sale is subject to customary closing conditions.
The sale of our Paperchase business is another major step in strengthening our balance sheet
and enables us to place an even greater focus on our financial and strategic initiatives, which are
vital to a Borders turnaround and revitalization of the brand, said Mike Edwards, President of
Borders Group, Inc. We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with the Paperchase team
to provide our customers with the wide array of fashionable gift and stationery products theyve
come to expect from Borders.
Were excited by the opportunity to build on the success of Paperchase, which is a well known
design-led stationery brand in the U.K., whose products have received great visibility through
Borders stores in the U.S., said Graham Heddle, a Director of Primary Capital. We look forward to
working with the Paperchase team to build the business over the next few years.
Borders Group acquired a majority interest in Paperchase in 2004. Virtually all Borders stores
nationwide feature Paperchase gifts and stationery products.
-more-
Borders Group Reaches Agreement to Sell Paperchase Products Limited/2
About Primary Capital
Primary Capital is an independent investment firm which invests in middle-market management
buy-outs and buy-ins in the U.K. and continental Europe. Primary works closely with management to
develop their business by providing long-term financial resources and strategic support over a
three to seven year period.
Paperchase is the eighth investment in the third fund, Primary III, which closed in March 2006 at
its hard cap of 200 million pounds Sterling, and follows closely after its recent investments in
Amtech Group and Guralp Systems. Current and previous Primary investments include Napier
Turbochargers, PCL Group, YO! Sushi and Great Rail Journeys. Further information on Primary and
its investments can be found on the Primary website at www.primaryeurope.com.
Contact: Graham Heddle, + 44 20 7920 4824.
Primary Capital Limited is regulated by the FSA. The material in this press release relating to
Primary Capital Limited is for information purposes only and has been issued by Primary Capital
Limited.
About Paperchase
Paperchase is the brand leader in design-led and innovative stationery retailing in the U.K. In
addition to having a presence in virtually all Borders stores in the U.S., Paperchase operates 106
outlets in the U.K. including concessions in selected department stores run by House of Fraser
Selfridges and Harrods, as well as in the Netherlands, Ireland and the Middle East. The vast
majority of Paperchases merchandise is developed specifically by and for Paperchase and, as such,
can only be found in Paperchase stores.
About Borders Group, Inc.
Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer
of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. The company employs approximately
19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders® and Waldenbooks®
stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant
discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at
facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about
the company, visit borders.com/media.
-more-
Borders Group Reaches Agreement to Sell Paperchase Products Limited/3
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of
words such as expected, planning, possibility, opportunity, goal, will, may,
intend, anticipates, working toward and other words of similar meaning. One can also identify
them by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements
are likely to address matters such as the companys future financial condition and performance
(including earnings per share, profitability, liquidity, cash flows, debt levels, market share
growth and other sales information, inventory levels and capital expenditures), its cost reduction
initiatives and plans for store closings and the expansion of product categories, including eBook
content and eReaders. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results and plans to differ materially from those included in the companys forward-looking
statements.
These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, consumer demand for the companys
products, particularly during the holiday season, which is believed to be related to general
economic and geopolitical conditions, competition and other factors; the availability of adequate
capitalincluding vendor creditto fund the companys operations and to carry out its strategic
plans; adverse litigation results or other claims, the performance of the companys information
technology systems; the risk that the planned sale of the Paperchase business may not be completed
or may be delayed and, with respect to eBook content and eReaders, the availability to the company
of anticipated content levels and a variety of competitive devices.
The companys periodic reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission
contain more detailed discussions of these and other risk factors that could cause actual results
and plans to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements, and those
discussions are incorporated herein by reference. The company does not undertake any obligation to
update forward-looking statements.
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