"Atos Origin and NYSE Euronext Complete transaction on AEMS joint venture"
- NYSE Euronext acquires Management and Sales of its European Trading Platforms
- Atos Origin acquires AEMS Clearing & Settlement and Capital Markets Businesses
Atos Origin (Euronext Paris: ATO), a leading IT services company, and NYSE Euronext (NYSE Euronext: NYX), the world’s leading exchange group, announced the completion of their transaction in which NYSE Euronext acquires the 50% stake in Atos Euronext Market Solutions (AEMS) owned by Atos Origin, and Atos Origin acquires AEMS’s third-party Clearing and Settlement and Capital Markets businesses. This agreement was previously announced in December 2007.
As a result of this transaction, NYSE Euronext acquires ownership of the NSC cash trading and LIFFE CONNECT® derivatives trading platform technology and all of the management and development services surrounding these platforms as well as AEMS’s third-party exchange technology business. The closing of this acquisition completes the insourcing of NYSE Euronext’s European technology operations and enables the full integration of AEMS’s third-party exchange business into NYSE Euronext Advanced Trading Solutions.
The transactions have resulted in a payment of €282 million (US $445 million), subject to adjustments, from NYSE Euronext to Atos Origin and of €14 million (US $21 million) from Atos Origin to AEMS. Through the transactions, NYSE Euronext acquired the cash balance carried by AEMS at the closing. Such balance was approximately €113 million ($178 million) at 30 June 2008.
Philippe Germond, Chief Executive Officer of Atos Origin said, "This transaction is beneficial for both parties. After having provided quality technology services to NYSE Euronext for more than 10 years, and having been its partner in its international development, Atos Origin is now contributing by this new move to the future development of one of its longstanding customers. I am happy this successful relationship will now be continued through a preferred supplier arrangement.
“I am also very confident the strong competencies of the AEMS Clearing & Settlement and Capital Market teams will contribute to the development of Atos Origin and to our strategy of delivering Business Outcome, especially for our financial services customers.
“Furthermore, this transaction provides Atos Origin with an increased financial flexibility to invest in its strategic development priorities, such as payments and offshore, and consolidate its current activity portfolio focusing on creating value for our shareholders."
Jean-François Théodore, Deputy Chief Executive of NYSE Euronext said, “On behalf of the company, I welcome the AEMS team into the NYSE Euronext family. AEMS expands our portfolio of sophisticated technological solutions and expertise for the benefit of our customers and our own technology mission. This transaction further consolidates our position as a global leader in providing ultra-fast trading functionality and connectivity to financial services firms and exchanges around the world.”
This agreement follows the successful longstanding relationship between Atos Origin and Euronext, and allows the two companies to focus on their core businesses, given recent trends in their respective industries.
About NYSE Euronext
NYSE Euronext (NYX) operates the world’s leading and most liquid exchange group, and seeks to provide the highest levels of quality, customer choice and innovation. Its family of exchanges, located in six countries, includes the New York Stock Exchange, the world’s largest cash equities market; Euronext, the Eurozone’s largest cash equities market; Liffe, Europe’s leading derivatives exchange by value of trading; and NYSE Arca Options, one of the fastest growing U.S. options trading platforms. NYSE Euronext offers a diverse array of financial products and services for issuers, investors and financial institutions in cash equities, options and derivatives, ETFs, bonds, market data, and commercial technology solutions. As the world’s largest exchange group by number of listings and market capitalization, NYSE Euronext is home to nearly 4,100 listed companies representing a combined $26.7 / 17.1€ trillion (as of June 30, 2008) in total global market capitalization, more than four times that of any other exchange group. NYSE Euronext’s equity exchanges transact an average daily trading value of approximately $157.0 /102.7€ billion (as of June 30, 2008), which represents more than one-third of the world’s cash equities trading. NYSE Euronext is part of the S&P 500 index and the only exchange operator in the S&P 100 index.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning NYSE Euronext’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements are based on NYSE Euronext’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause NYSE Euronext’s results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: NYSE Euronext’s ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations, government and industry regulation, interest rate risk and U.S. and global competition, and other factors detailed in NYSE Euronext’s reference document for 2007 (“document de référence”) filed with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (Registered on May 15, 2008 under No. R. 08-054), 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers. In addition, these statements are based on a number of assumptions that are subject to change. Accordingly, actual results may be materially higher or lower than those projected. The inclusion of such projections herein should not be regarded as a representation by NYSE Euronext that the projections will prove to be correct. This press release speaks only as of this date. NYSE Euronext disclaims any duty to update the information herein.
About Atos Origin
Atos Origin is an international information technology services company. Its business is turning client vision into results through the application of Consulting, Systems Integration and Managed Operations. The Company’s annual revenues are €5.4 billion and it employs 50,000 people in 40 countries. Atos Origin is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic Games and has a client base of international blue-chip companies across all sectors. Atos Origin is quoted on Euronext Paris and trades as Atos Origin, Atos Worldline and Atos Consulting.
Press contacts:
Atos Origin:
Marie-Tatiana Collombert,
Tel: +33 (0) 1 55 91 26 33,
marie-tatiana.collombert@atosorigin.com
NYSE Euronext:
Europe: Tel: +33 (0) 1 49 27 11 33,
US: Tel + 1 212 656 2411
Investor contacts:
Atos Origin:
Gilles Arditti,
Tel: +33 (0) 1 55 91 28 83,
gilles.arditti@atosorigin.com
NYSE Euronext:
Europe: Tel: +33 (0) 1 49 27 15 12,
US: Tel: +1 212 656 5700