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EchoStar Announces Suite of Transformative Transactions to Delever Its Balance Sheet and Improve Its Debt Maturity Profile, Transition Its Strategic Focus and Pave the Road for it to Enhance and Further Deploy its Nationwide 5G Open RAN Wireless Network

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Agreement to sell DISH DBS to DIRECTV refocuses portfolio on growing wireless and satellite connectivity marketsRaises $5.1 billion of capital from existing stakeholders for investment in nationwide 5G Open RAN network and other general corporate purposes Funds near-term maturity and significantly reduces refinancing needs in the next 24-36 months Provides access to approximately $1.5 billion of DISH Pay-TV cash flow pending closing of DISH DBS sale1Conference call for EchoStar investors at 8:30 am ET Monday Sept 30th

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Sept. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — EchoStar Corporation (“EchoStar”), a global, fully integrated communication and content delivery leader and provider of technology, spectrum, engineering, manufacturing, networking services, television entertainment and connectivity, today announced a suite of transformative transactions, including:

an agreement to sell DISH DBS Corporation (“DBS”) (its Pay-TV business, which includes Sling TV) to DIRECTV creating a combined company that will be better positioned to invest in its services and negotiate with programmers for the content that consumers demand, delivering more choices and better value to its consumers;the receipt of approximately $2.5 billion in new financing from TPG Angelo Gordon and certain co-investors at DBS to address its November 2024 debt maturity and provide interim liquidity;various exchange offers to DBS bondholders providing the opportunity for its stakeholders to support the combination of the DBS and DIRECTV business and roll into the attractive combined credit;a comprehensive financing solution and balance sheet optimization transaction at EchoStar through:a Transaction Support Agreement with certain holders (the “DISH Supporting Investors”) of its subsidiary DISH Network Corporation’s 0% convertible notes due 2025 (the “2025 Notes”) and 3.375% convertible notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes” and, together with the 2025 Notes, the “DISH Convertible Notes”) providing for the exchange of DISH Convertible Notes for new EchoStar secured notes maturing in 2030; anda Commitment Agreement with certain of the DISH Supporting Investors to invest $5.1 billion of new capital in EchoStar through the purchase of EchoStar secured notes maturing in 2029.

Today’s announcements accelerate EchoStar’s mission of deploying a nationwide facilities-based wireless service to compete with dominant incumbent wireless carriers and its ability to further leverage its satellite assets and experience, including developing innovative direct-to-device (D2D) solutions. U.S. consumers will benefit from EchoStar’s ability to focus more clearly on enhancing and further deploying its nationwide 5G Open RAN wireless network, which will provide more choices and better service to consumers under the Boost Mobile brand, while driving innovation at a faster pace.

“Today’s strategic actions will advance our ability to aggressively compete in the U.S. wireless market. Customers of legacy incumbents will be waking up and paying attention to our state-of-the-art network,” said Hamid Akhavan, President and Chief Executive Officer, EchoStar. “With an improved financial profile and a unique approach, we expect to gain share, drive shareholder value, and provide more options for U.S. wireless consumers. Our collaboration with our existing stakeholders to achieve this holistic recapitalization solution at EchoStar is a testament to their continued support of our vision, and we greatly appreciate their partnership and continued investment in our mission.”

DIRECTV Transaction; DBS Exchange Offers and TPG Angelo Gordon Financing

Under the terms of an equity purchase agreement between EchoStar and DIRECTV, DIRECTV will acquire EchoStar’s video distribution businesses, DISH and Sling TV, in exchange for the assumption of DBS debt and certain other consideration, including the release of all DISH Network intercompany obligations to DISH DBS. DBS has commenced exchange offers and consent solicitations for five different series of DBS notes with a total face value of approximately $9.75 billion, including seeking certain consents from the holders of such notes to facilitate the acquisition, including to convert such notes, upon closing of the acquisition, into DIRECTV debt which will have terms that mirror DIRECTV’s existing secured debt. 

The transaction, which the boards of directors of both companies have unanimously approved, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025. The transaction is subject to various closing conditions, including, but not limited to, a requisite amount of the outstanding DBS notes being tendered into the Exchange Offer, completion of a pre-closing reorganization, and receipt of required regulatory approvals.

In addition, TPG Angelo Gordon and certain co-investors have provided $2.5 billion of financing to DBS to fully refinance DBS’ November 2024 debt maturity and provide interim liquidity.

Furthermore, the release of intercompany obligations in connection with the closing of the transaction creates the ability for EchoStar to fully unencumber the 3.45-3.55 GHz spectrum unlocking incremental strategic and operating flexibility.

Comprehensive EchoStar Financing Solution and Balance Sheet Optimization

Under the terms of a Transaction Support Agreement between EchoStar and the DISH Supporting Investors collectively representing over 85% of the aggregate principal amount outstanding of the DISH Convertible Notes, all holders of DISH Convertible Notes will have the opportunity to exchange their DISH Convertible Notes for new secured notes and secured convertible notes of EchoStar maturing in 2030. The DISH Supporting Investors have committed to participate with all of their DISH Convertible Notes in the exchange. In addition, certain members of the DISH Supporting Investors and a related party of Charles W. Ergen, the Company’s chairman, have entered into a Commitment Agreement pursuant to which EchoStar will issue $5.1 billion of new senior secured notes maturing in 2029 for cash. These new notes will be secured by EchoStar’s AWS-3 and AWS-4 spectrum assets. The commitment of the Ergen related party is for $100 million of such notes and was unanimously approved by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

The $5.1 billion new money financing from the Supporting Investors will provide EchoStar with significant capital for the buildout of its Boost Mobile nationwide 5G Open RAN network. The commitment from the DISH Convertible Notes will significantly improve EchoStar’s debt maturity profile through the extension of debt maturities from 2025 and 2026 to 2029.   

Finally, the Company entered into subscription agreements with certain accredited investors and CONX Corp., a Nevada corporation (“CONX”) indirectly controlled by Charles W. Ergen (the “PIPE Investors” and the subscription agreements, the “Subscription Agreements”), pursuant to which the PIPE Investors have agreed, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, to purchase from the Company an aggregate of 14.265 million shares (the “PIPE Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, at a purchase price of $28.04 per share, the closing price for the Company’s Class A common stock on September 27, 2024, for an aggregate cash purchase price of approximately $400 million (such investment, the “PIPE Investment”). The portion of the PIPE Investment represented by the CONX Subscription Agreement represents an agreement to purchase from the Company an aggregate of 1.551 million shares of the Company’s Class A common stock for an aggregate cash purchase price of approximately $43.5 million. The CONX Subscription Agreement was unanimously approved by the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. The PIPE Investment is conditioned on and expected to close concurrently with the closing of the DISH Convertible Notes exchange offers and new senior secured notes, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Subscription Agreements.

Advisors

J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisor to EchoStar for the DIRECTV and TPG Angelo Gordon transactions. Houlihan Lokey, Inc. served as financial advisor for the transactions with the DISH Supporting Investors.  White & Case LLP served as legal advisor to EchoStar for both transactions.

Centerview Partners served as exclusive financial advisor and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as exclusive legal advisor to the ad hoc group of holders of 2025 DISH Convertible Notes, and Perella Weinberg Partners served as exclusive financial advisor and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP served as exclusive legal counsel to the ad hoc group of holders of 2026 DISH Convertible Notes.

Conference Call

EchoStar will host a conference call on Monday, September 30, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss these transactions. To attend the call, please dial the number below and provide the conference ID when prompted. A presentation to accompany the call will be available on ir.echostar.com at the time of the call.

Participant conference numbers: (877) 484-6065 (U.S.) and (201) 689-8846
Conference ID: 13749306

Please dial in at least 10 minutes before the call to ensure timely participation.

*********

1 Cash flow for period from June 30, 2024 to September 30, 2025.

About EchoStar (NASDAQ: SATS)
EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS) is a premier provider of technology, networking services, television entertainment and connectivity, offering consumer, enterprise, operator, and government solutions worldwide under its EchoStar®, Boost Mobile®, Sling TV, DISH TV, Hughes®, HughesNet®, HughesON™ and JUPITER™ brands. In Europe, EchoStar operates under its EchoStar Mobile Limited subsidiary and in Australia, the company operates as EchoStar Global Australia. For more information, visit www.echostar.com and follow EchoStar on X (Twitter) and LinkedIn.

©2024 EchoStar. Hughes, HughesNet, DISH and Boost Mobile are registered trademarks of one or more affiliate companies of EchoStar Corp.

No Offer

This communication is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell, buy or subscribe for any securities or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. In particular, this communication is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offer of securities shall be made in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, such registration requirements.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. Such statements include, in particular, statements about potential exchange offers and financing transactions. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond EchoStar and the Company’s control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied include the factors discussed under the section entitled “Risk Factors” of EchoStar and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), and under the section entitled “Risk Factors” of EchoStar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC. EchoStar and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.

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SOURCE EchoStar Corporation

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Typeform Delivers New Solutions to Empower B2C Businesses to Better Engage Customers

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Brands can now use video, data enrichment, and AI-powered capabilities to create interactive, hyper-personalized experiences and uncover deeper insights

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Typeform, the intuitive form builder and conversational data collection platform, today announced new features that provide business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses with the context, clarity, and convenience needed to better engage and understand their customers. Now businesses can further enhance the respondent experience, all while gathering richer, actionable data. 

Today, 70% of consumer decisions are based on emotion, including brand preference.¹ Buyers expect brands to tailor experiences to their personal preferences more than ever, but at the same time, they’re also becoming more cautious about sharing personal information. Typeform’s latest features help brands collect data directly from customers through interactive, personalized experiences they trust, then automatically enhance it with third-party insights to deepen their understanding. This empowers companies to deliver more targeted, data-driven marketing.

“Businesses can’t thrive on surface-level insights,” said Aleks Bass, Chief Product Officer, Typeform. “Our latest innovations give you the ability to dig deeper into truly knowing your customers by providing dynamic data collection experiences that encourage quality responses. Whether boosting conversions with a personalized product recommendation quiz or gathering feedback through video surveys, the common denominator is that your customers enjoy the experience.”

The offerings were unveiled at Typeforum 2024, Typeform’s first-ever virtual product spotlight event, designed to showcase the latest innovations from the company. Newly released features include: 

Enhanced Video Capabilities: Typeform now allows customers to respond with video, providing businesses deeper insights through voice and expressions, not just text. This builds on Typeform’s existing feature that enables creators to record, edit, and embed personalized videos into forms, boosting engagement and conversions. Typeform research found that 65% of marketers believe video is an effective tool for engaging and interacting with customers in ways that feel more human and create connection and loyalty.²Clarify with AI: Typeform’s Clarify with AI acts as a virtual interviewer, prompting follow-up questions based on customer responses. When a customer is asked about their experience and answers vaguely, like “good,” the AI encourages more detailed feedback, asking, “Good, how? What stood out?” For customers, it feels like a personalized conversation. For brands, it delivers more insights. Automated B2C Data Enrichment: Earlier this year, Typeform introduced automated B2B data enrichment, making it easier than ever to understand customers at a deeper level without needing to ask additional questions. Now, consumer-level enrichment is available in the Typeform platform. With just a personal email address, companies can pull in key data points from trusted third-party sources, providing a more complete picture of who’s on the other side of the screen.AI-powered Qualitative Analysis: With this feature, businesses can instantly analyze large volumes of text and video responses to surface key themes and insights, saving hours of manual work. Data Quality Tools: Invisible reCAPTCHA ensures data integrity by blocking bots and automated submissions, allowing only genuine responses to be collected. This safeguard enhances data reliability, helping teams make accurate, data-driven decisions.Klaviyo Integration: Typeform will soon be launching a new integration with Klaviyo, designed for B2C and direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketers. It will ensure that every insight gathered flows seamlessly into Klaviyo. Manual data transfers are eliminated as segments automatically update with Typeform data, enabling hyper-targeted campaigns customized to each customer’s unique profile. This integration combines Typeform’s interactive data collection with Klaviyo’s automation, facilitating more natural, personalized customer connections while driving business growth.

“We built a powerful product recommendation quiz not just to help our customers, but to generate invaluable data that allows us to better segment and engage them with relevant marketing,” said Addison Wennar, Digital Communications Manager, OGEE. “With the holiday shopping season approaching, these insights will be key. Typeform already delivers the highest response rates for us, and I’m excited to see how the new features will amplify that impact.”

The features are available today in Typeform for Growth plans. Watch the Typeforum 2024 recordings and learn how to use Typeform to better understand and engage customers here

About Typeform
Typeform is a distinctly intuitive form builder that helps over 150,000 customers collect and validate the data they need to grow their businesses. Designed with striking visuals, a conversational flow, and powerful data capabilities, Typeform empowers brands to give and get more with each form. Typeform drives more than 500 million responses each year and integrates with essential tools including Zapier, HubSpot, and Slack. For more information, visit www.typeform.com.

1         Pendell, R. (2024, October 15). Customer brand preference and decisions: Gallup’s 70/30 principle. Gallup.com. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/398954/customer-brand-preference-decisions-gallup-principle.aspx#:~:text=70%25%20of%20decisions%20are%20based,Making%20Process:%20Rational%20or%20Emotional?

2          Data from a survey of 105 Typeform customers conducted on September 30, 2024.

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SOURCE Typeform S.L.

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Electronic Drives and Controls Celebrates Impressive Growth and Strong Demand for Industrial Automation Solutions

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EDC has announced 39% revenue growth over the past year and a strengthened presence in the metals converting and composites industries. The company has also maintained key certifications, including CSIA, UL508A, Rockwell Automation, Siemens, and Ignition.

PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Electronic Drives and Controls, Inc. (EDC), a leading control system integrator and field service company for industrial automation and drive technology, today announced that the company has experienced a year of growth and success, achieving a 39% increase in revenue year-over-year. To meet the growing demand for automation and drive solutions, EDC has expanded its team, hiring Ricky Arcky as human resources manager and Tyler Schaberick as systems engineer. EDC attributes this growth to maintaining industry certifications, digital marketing efforts, a dedicated team, and strong, long-term partnerships.

“We are proud of the growth we’ve achieved this year, which is a testament to the hard work of our team and our commitment to delivering exceptional service to our clients.”

“We are proud of the growth we’ve achieved this year, which is a testament to the hard work of our team and our commitment to delivering exceptional service to our clients,” said Chuck Dillard, Vice President of EDC. “Our recent hires and increased project load reflect our strategy to grow both wider and deeper with our existing clients, as well as entering new industries.”

“We’ve put in years of preparation and invested heavily in digital marketing to get the word out about our services, knowing that growth was inevitable,” Dillard added. “Our team has worked tirelessly and the results speak for themselves: clients continue to return to us because of our technical expertise and the strong results we deliver.”

EDC’s expertise in coating & laminating, wire and cable, PLC programming and upgrades, as well as drive service, has allowed the company to strengthen its presence in the metals converting industry, securing new and expanded projects across multiple client plants. EDC has also successfully completed upgrades for a new client in the composites industry, widening the portfolio of industries it caters to.

In addition to recent growth, EDC remains committed to maintaining the highest industry standards through its CSIA certification, which ensures adherence to best practices in control system integration. Several certifications, including UL508A recertification and certifications from Rockwell Automation, Siemens, and Ignition, further emphasize EDC’s dedication to safety, technical proficiency, and continuous improvement.

About Electronic Drives and Controls, Inc.
Founded in 1968, Electronic Drives and Controls, Inc. (EDC) is a CSIA Certified control system integrator with deep domain expertise in the coating and laminating, and converting industries. The company’s large field service team specializes in AC and DC drives, PLCs and factory automation. Family owned and operated for more than 50 years, EDC’s team of engineers and technicians has a vast experience integrating new control systems and breathing life into older equipment. EDC has the engineering capability to design, build, start-up and service projects from the sophisticated to the simple and the service support team on call 24/7/365 to keep it all running at peak efficiency from day one and for years to come. In addition to the company’s certification as a Siemens Solution Partner and a Rockwell Automation Recognized System Integrator, EDC is a factory authorized/factory trained service center for over 40 drive brands. For more information, visit the company’s website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

Media Contact

Georgia Whalen, Rivergate Marketing, (978) 697-2664, Gwhalen@rivergatemarketing.com, www.electronicdrives.com/home/

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SOURCE Electronic Drives and Controls, Inc. (EDC)

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Allstate Financial Services Selects Covr to Provide Life Insurance, Long-Term Care, and Disability Insurance Solutions

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Covr’s Digitally Enabled Insurance Platform Will Simplify the Buying Process

HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Covr, a leading digital insurance provider, has partnered with Allstate Financial Services, LLC to offer a streamlined suite of life, long-term care (LTC), and disability income insurance solutions through Covr’s digital platform. This partnership provides Allstate Financial Services customers with a simple, connected experience, featuring an intuitive, paperless process that makes it easier than ever to purchase insurance tailored to their diverse needs.

Covr’s platform offers an easy-to-use, self-guided experience to efficiently compare and recommend insurance products. Additionally, Allstate Financial Services will offer a range of products through Covr’s platform, including guaranteed issue life insurance through Gerber Life and disability insurance through Assurity, Ameritas, MassMutual, Mutual of Omaha and Principal. Traditional long-term care will also be available through Mutual of Omaha.

“We are extremely pleased to add Allstate’s network of 7,000+ representatives to our insurance platform,” said Michael Kalen, CEO of Covr. “Their business owners and individual customer base fits perfectly with our portfolio of simplified life, LTC, and disability income solutions for agents and their customers.”

“We’re committed to expanding solutions that better meet our customers’ protection needs,” said Scott Delaney, President and CEO, Allstate Financial Services. “With Covr’s digital platform, our representatives can deliver a more connected experience and offer a broader range of insurance options tailored to each customer’s unique needs.”

Allstate representatives will collaborate closely with Covr’s sales team to ensure ongoing support. Allstate Financial Services will also benefit from Covr’s top-tier case management services, providing end-to-end support throughout the entire insurance process.

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SOURCE Covr Financial Technologies

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