NEW YORK — JetBlue really wants to buy Spirit Airlines. The NY-based airline announced that it has filed a “Vote No” proxy statement urging Spirit shareholders to vote AGAINST what it says is an inferior, high risk, and low value Spirit/Frontier transaction at Spirit’s upcoming special meeting.
In addition, JetBlue commenced a new proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Spirit for $30 per share, without interest and less any required withholding taxes. Given the Spirit Board of Directors’ complete unwillingness to share the same necessary diligence information that was shared with Frontier, JetBlue is now offering to acquire Spirit for $30 per share in cash through a fully financed tender offer. This represents a 60% premium to the value of the Frontier transaction as of May 13, 2022 – a very compelling offer and higher than the premium implied by JetBlue’s original proposal. JetBlue is fully prepared to negotiate in good faith a consensual transaction at $33, subject to receiving necessary diligence.
JetBlue launched a website at www.JetBlueOffersMore.com and issued a letter to Spirit shareholders detailing the benefits of its transaction, the certainty of closing, and the misleading statements made by Spirit. In the letter, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes states:
“JetBlue offers more value – a significant premium in cash – more certainty, and more benefits for all stakeholders. Frontier offers less value, more risk, no divestiture commitments, and no reverse break-up fee, despite more overlap on non-stop routes and their own regulatory challenges.”
“Yet the Spirit Board failed to provide us the necessary diligence information it had provided Frontier and then summarily rejected our proposal, which addressed its regulatory concerns, without asking us even a single question about it. The Spirit Board based its rejection on unsupportable claims that are easily refuted.”
“Ask yourself a simple question: why won’t the Spirit Board engage with us constructively? The interests of Bill Franke’s Indigo Partners and the long-standing relationships between the two companies is the obvious answer.”
The letter goes on to note that JetBlue’s current proposal still offers more value and certainty for Spirit shareholders than Frontier, and stresses that the company is prepared to engage on the basis of its original proposal, if the Spirit Board acts in good faith:
“Based on the clear superiority of our offer, we expected the Spirit Board to engage constructively. Given its unwillingness to share necessary information or negotiate in good faith, we adjusted our price accordingly, but will work towards a consensual transaction at $33 per share, subject to receiving the information to support it.”
The full letter follows:
May 16, 2022
Dear Spirit Shareholder,
You have an important choice to make about your investment in Spirit Airlines.
We believe the Spirit Board of Directors (the “Spirit Board”) has failed to act in your best interests by refusing to engage constructively on our clearly superior proposal to acquire Spirit.
JetBlue offers more value – a significant premium in cash – more certainty, and more benefits for all stakeholders. Frontier offers less value, more risk, no divestiture commitments, and no reverse break-up fee, despite more overlap on non-stop routes and their own regulatory challenges.
Yet the Spirit Board failed to provide us the necessary diligence information it had provided Frontier and then summarily rejected our proposal, which addressed its regulatory concerns, without asking us even a single question about it. The Spirit Board based its rejection on unsupportable claims that are easily refuted.
Ask yourself a simple question: why won’t the Spirit Board engage with us constructively? The interests of Bill Franke’s Indigo Partners and the long-standing relationships between the two companies is the obvious answer.
Given the Spirit Board’s unjustified refusal to engage, we have decided to bring our proposal directly to the Spirit shareholders,and we urge you to vote “AGAINST” the Frontier transaction at Spirit’s upcoming special meeting. This will send a message to the Spirit Board that you want it to negotiate with us in good faith. We also launched an all-cash, fully financed tender offer to purchase all the outstanding shares of common stock at $30.00 per share and we encourage you to underscore your message to Spirit’s Board by tendering your shares into our offer. If the Spirit shareholders vote against the transaction with Frontier and compel the Spirit Board to negotiate with us in good faith, we will work towards a consensual transaction at $33 per share, subject to receiving the information to support it.
Our current proposal offers:
In contrast, the proposed Frontier transaction offers Spirit shareholders LESS:
JetBlue Offers More Value and Certainty to Spirit Shareholders – in Any Scenario…
Our current proposal provides superior value to the Frontier offer, regardless of whether either transaction is completed.
… And Better Trading Value in the Short Term.
In addition, we expect the outcome of the Spirit special meeting to influence how the Spirit shares will trade in the short term. Based on the trading patterns since the Frontier transaction was announced, we expect that, if the transaction is approved, Spirit’s shares will trade at approximately $177. On the other hand, basedon what we observed since our proposal became public, if the Frontier transaction is rejected, we expect Spirit shares to trade between approximately $23.1 and $25.58, at least a 36% premium to Spirit’s latest closing share price9.
| Transaction Does Not | Transaction | Short Term Trading Depending |
Frontier | ~15 | ~19 | ~17 |
JetBlue | ~17 | 30-33 | ~23-25 |
A vote AGAINST the Frontier transaction is a vote for a higher Spirit share price, regardless of any consideration concerning the actual consummation of either transaction. A vote for the Frontier transaction is a vote for a lower Spirit share price.
JetBlue Is Confident We Will Obtain Regulatory Approval.
A combined JetBlue-Spirit will create a more compelling and viable competitor to the Big Four airlines that control more than 80% of the U.S. market. JetBlue’s entry into new routes triggers fare decreases from legacy airlines that are more significant than those resulting from ultra-low-cost carriers; this phenomenon has been described as the “JetBlue Effect”.
Our recent economic analysis, using Department of Transportation Data, shows JetBlue’s presence on a nonstop route decreases legacy fares by ~16%, about three times as much as the presence of an ultra-low-cost carrier. This phenomenon is well established and foundational to JetBlue’s business model.
We are not the only ones who cite the JetBlue Effect. Coined by an MIT study in 2013, the JetBlue Effect has been acknowledged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) as recently as 2021 when it said, “JetBlue’s reputation for lowering fares is so well known in the airline industry that it has earned a name: the ‘JetBlue Effect.’ JetBlue’s record in Boston and New York illustrates why.”
We are confident we can address any regulatory concerns the Spirit Board, regulators or courts may have through:
Don’t Be Misled: Spirit’s Transaction with Frontier Has Similar Regulatory Risk.
Spirit’s Suggestion that Our Northeast Alliance Is a Regulatory Obstacle Has No Basis in Fact or in Law.
JetBlue’s Northeast Alliance is already demonstrating its positive benefits for customers in the Northeast. Regardless of what one thinks of the Northeast Alliance, it is irrelevant to our ability to complete the acquisition of Spirit.
Given the clear superiority of our offer, including the regulatory commitments we have made to back up our high confidence in our ability to complete our transaction, why hasn’t the Spirit Board engaged?
Clearly because Spirit’s Board is prioritizing its own self-interest and personal relationships with Frontier over its shareholders’ interests.
There is good reason to believe the Spirit Board is not acting in the best interests of its own shareholders.
After eight months of discussions, Spirit agreed to an inferior transaction with Frontier without considering what other alternatives were available to Spirit’s shareholders. Further, the outsized concessions to Frontier by the Spirit Board do not reflect a meaningful effort to maximize shareholder value.
Since our original proposal was made, the Spirit Board consistently refused to engage constructively with us.
By refusing to engage on our original proposal, the Spirit Board has deprived its shareholders of the most attractive value creating opportunity available to them.
WE URGE YOU TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE SPIRIT BOARD BY VOTING “AGAINST” ALL PROPOSALS RELATED TO THE FRONTIER TRANSACTION AT THE SPIRIT SPECIAL MEETING ON JUNE 10, 2022 AND TENDERING YOUR SHARES INTO OUR OFFER.
In addition to voting “AGAINST” the Frontier transaction at the Spirit Special Meeting, we urge all Spirit shareholders voting against the Frontier transaction to exercise their appraisal rights under Section 262 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which entitles Spirit shareholders who perfect these rights to the fair value of their shares, as determined by a Delaware court. Spirit, by admission of its own financial advisors, is worth more than the value of the Frontier transaction and this and the superior value of our current proposal, as well as our original proposal, would be factors used by the court in determining fair value of your shares. If the Spirit Board continues to refuse to negotiate with us and the Frontier transaction is approved, appraisal is the only way to capture the value included in our proposals. Please consult your legal advisor before exercising appraisal rights.
Additional details about JetBlue’s superior offer can be found at JetBlueOffersMore.com.
Protect Your Own Best Interests
Our proposal represents a compelling opportunity to receive a significant premium in cash, with greater value and certainty than the Frontier transaction. Spirit’s Board has prevented you from receiving it.
We are fully committed to pursuing our original $33 per share proposal. We urge you to protect your own best interests. Let the Spirit Board know you want the opportunity to receive our superior offer by voting AGAINST the Frontier transaction and tendering your shares in our cash tender offer.
Sincerely,
Robin Hayes
Chief Executive Officer
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