Filed by Applied Materials, Inc.
pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Subject Company: Applied Materials, Inc.; Tokyo Electron Limited
Commission File No.: 000-06920
Date: September 24, 2013
 Executive key messages for Customer calls–
Customer Communication Plan:
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We are calling to personally share with you details of today’s announcement of
the combination between Oak and Maple. The new company will be created in
the spirit of merger of equals: there will be a shared leadership team, a new
name, equal board representation and dual headquarters in Tokyo and Santa
Clara. After completion of the deal, Tetsuro Higashi will be Chairman of the
Board of Directors and Gary Dickerson will be CEO.
We
believe
combining
the
capabilities
of
our
two
great
companies
will
enable
us
to
better
and
faster
solve
our
customers
highest value problems, particularly as the industry faces a number of challenges
in the near future (3D transition, Materials changes, 450mm development,
high-resolution, OLED, new transistor materials, new form factors). The
combination provides:
o
Broader
Product
Portfolio
–
Complementary
products/technologies
o
Greater
Customer
Value
–
Earlier
&
deeper
customer
relationships,
Mtls
Eng,
DPY
o
Increased
Growth
Oppty
–
Technical
and
cost
synergies
enabling
more
investment
We are committed to your business continuity and ensuring we execute well during
this transition. Until close of the combination (satisfaction of closing
conditions, including regulatory review and approval by Oak/Maple
shareholders), both companies will continue to operate as two separate
companies. For all your business needs, your teams should continue to
work with the same Maple/Oak employees as they did prior to today’s announcement.
We expect the approval process to likely be 9 to 12 months and we would appreciate
your full support both internally and externally.
We believe this creates more value and a better future for our customers and we
very much look forward to your support of this combination as we work to
create a world-class company to support your needs. We will keep you
updated as we progress through the process. |
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains forward-looking statements, including but not limited to those regarding the proposed business combination between Applied Materials, Inc. (“Applied Materials”), and Tokyo Electron Limited (“Tokyo Electron”) (the “Business Combination”) and the transactions related thereto. These statements may discuss the anticipated manner, terms and conditions upon which the Business Combination will be consummated, the persons to be appointed officers and directors of a to-be-formed holding company (“HoldCo”), trends and the future performance of their businesses, the synergies of Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron, and similar things. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as “expect,” “believe,” “may,” “can,” “should,” “will,” “forecast,” “anticipate” or similar expressions, and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. These statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including but not limited to: the ability of the parties to consummate the Business Combination in a timely manner or at all; satisfaction of the conditions precedent to consummation of the Business Combination, including the ability to secure regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all, and approval by Applied Materials’ and Tokyo Electron’s stockholders; the possibility of litigation (including related to the transaction itself); Applied Materials’ and Tokyo Electron’s ability to successfully integrate their operations, product lines, technology and employees and realize synergies, growth and tax assets from the Business Combination; unknown, underestimated or undisclosed commitments or liabilities; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the proposed transactions on the parties’ relationships with third parties; the level of demand for the combined companies’ products, which is subject to many factors, including uncertain global economic and industry conditions, demand for electronic products and semiconductors, and customers’ new technology and capacity requirements; Applied Materials’ and Tokyo Electron’s ability to (i) develop, deliver and support a broad range of products, expand their markets and develop new markets, (ii) timely align their cost structures with business conditions, and (iii) attract, motivate and retain key employees; and other risks described in the Applied Materials’ filings with the Securities & Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Tokyo Electron’s filings with the Financial Services Agency of Japan and the S-4 registration statement to be filed by HoldCo. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s estimates, projections and assumptions as of the date hereof. Except as required under applicable law, none of Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron or HoldCo undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
No Offer or Solicitation
This announcement is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase, nor a solicitation of an offer to sell, subscribe for or buy any securities or the solicitation of any vote in any jurisdiction pursuant to the proposed transactions or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable regulations in the Netherlands and Japan.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron intend to cause HoldCo to file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 (the “Registration Statement”), which will include a prospectus with respect to HoldCo’s ordinary shares to be issued in the Business Combination and a proxy statement of Applied Materials in connection with the Business Combination between Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron. The definitive Registration Statement will contain important information about the proposed Business Combination and related matters. SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED AND ADVISED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT CAREFULLY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. The Registration Statement and other relevant materials (when they become available) and any other documents filed by Applied Materials, HoldCo or Tokyo Electron with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the Registration Statement from Applied Materials or Tokyo Electron by contacting either (1) Investor Relations by mail at Applied Materials, 3050 Bowers
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Avenue M/S 1261, P.O. Box 58039, Santa Clara, CA 95054-3299, Attn: Investor Relations Department, by telephone at 408-748-5227, or by going to Applied Materials’ Investor Relations page on its corporate web site at www.appliedmaterials.com or (2) Tokyo Electron’s Public Relations Group, by mail at Tokyo Electron, Akasaka Biz Tower, 3-1 Akasaka 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6325, by telephone at 512-424-1757, or by email at telpr@tel.com, or by going to Tokyo Electron’s Investor Relations page on its corporate web site at www.tel.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, HoldCo and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Applied Materials’ stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination. Information about Applied Materials’ directors and executive officers is set forth in Applied Materials’ Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A for its 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on January 22, 2013, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 28, 2012, which was filed with the SEC on December 5, 2012. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov, and from Applied Materials by contacting Investor Relations by mail at Applied Materials, 3050 Bowers Avenue M/S 1261, P.O. Box 58039, Santa Clara, CA 95054-3299, Attn: Investor Relations Department, or by going to Applied Materials’ Investor Relations page on its corporate web site at www.appliedmaterials.com. Additional information regarding the interests of participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed Business Combination will be included in the Registration Statement that Applied Materials and Tokyo Electron intend to cause HoldCo to file with the SEC.
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