Proposed Amendments will not become operative
and the Mars Guarantee will not be issued unless and until
the Acquisition is consummated
MCLEAN,
Va., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars,
Incorporated ("Mars" or the "Company") announced that, in
connection with its previously announced consent solicitations (the
"Consent Solicitations") in respect of the outstanding series of
senior notes of Kellanova (collectively, the "Existing Kellanova
Notes") set forth in the table below, it has received the Requisite
Consents (as defined below) from Eligible Holders (as defined
below) of the Existing Kellanova Notes to certain proposed
amendments (the "Proposed Amendments") to (i) the Indenture, dated
as of March 15, 2001, between
Kellanova and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.
(f/k/a BNY Midwest Trust Company) (the "2001 Indenture Trustee"),
as amended and supplemented (the "2001 Indenture"), (ii) the
Indenture, dated as of May 21, 2009,
between Kellanova and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company,
N.A. (f/k/a BNY Midwest Trust Company), as trustee (the "2009
Indenture Trustee"), as amended and supplemented (the "2009
Indenture"), and (iii) the Indenture, dated as of May 6, 2024, between Kellanova and U.S. Bank
Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the "2024
Indenture Trustee" and, together with the 2001 Indenture Trustee
and the 2009 Indenture Trustee, the "Existing Kellanova Notes
Trustees"), as amended and supplemented (the "2024 Indenture" and,
together with the 2001 Indenture and the 2009 Indenture, the
"Existing Kellanova Indentures"). In connection with each Consent
Solicitation, Mars also offered, subject to the satisfaction or
waiver of the conditions of such Consent Solicitation (including
the receipt of the applicable Requisite Consents and the execution
of the applicable Kellanova Supplemental Indenture (as defined
below)), to (i) guarantee the applicable series of Existing
Kellanova Notes (the "Offers to Guarantee" and such guarantee, the
"Mars Guarantee") and (ii) make the consent payment (the "Consent
Payment") set forth in the table below to Eligible Holders that
validly delivered and did not validly revoke their consent prior to
the Expiration Date (as defined below). The Consent Solicitations
and Offers to Guarantee (as defined below) expired at 5:00 p.m., New York
City time, on March 11, 2025
(the "Expiration Date").

The Consent Solicitations and Offers to Guarantee were made
pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in
the offering memorandum and consent solicitation statement, dated
March 4, 2025 (the "Offering
Memorandum") and were conducted in connection with, but were not
conditioned upon the consummation of, the previously announced
pending acquisition by Mars (the "Acquisition") of Kellanova (NYSE:
K) ("Kellanova"). The consummation of the Acquisition is subject to
customary conditions, including regulatory approvals, but the
consummation of the Acquisition is not conditioned upon the receipt
of the Requisite Consents or completion of the Consent
Solicitations and Offers to Guarantee. Mars will issue the
Mars Guarantee and pay the Consent Payment with respect to each
Existing Kellanova Indenture conditioned upon, and promptly after
the closing of, the Acquisition (the "Settlement Date").
Existing Kellanova
Indenture
|
Existing Kellanova
Notes
|
CUSIP
No./
Common Code/ISIN (as
applicable)
|
Aggregate Principal
Amount Outstanding
|
Consent
Payment(1)
|
Indenture, dated as of
March 15, 2001, between Kellanova and The Bank of New York Mellon
Trust Company, N.A. (f/k/a BNY Midwest Trust Company), as amended
and supplemented
|
7.45% Debentures due
2031 (the "Kellanova 2031 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836AT5
|
$625,179,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
Indenture, dated as of
May 21, 2009, between Kellanova and The Bank of New York Mellon
Trust Company, N.A. (f/k/a BNY Midwest Trust Company), as trustee,
as amended and supplemented
|
3.250% Senior Notes due
2026 (the "Kellanova 2026 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BP2
|
$750,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
3.400% Senior Notes due
2027 (the "Kellanova 2027 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BU1
|
$600,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
4.300% Senior Notes due
2028 (the "Kellanova 2028 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BW7
|
$600,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
0.500% Senior Notes due
2029 (the "Kellanova 2029 Notes")
|
ISIN No.: XS2343510520
/ Common Code No.: 234351052
|
€300,000,000
|
€1.00 in
cash
|
2.100% Senior Notes due
2030 (the "Kellanova 2030 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BX5
|
$500,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
5.250% Senior Notes due
2033 (the "Kellanova 2033 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BZ0
|
$400,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
4.500% Senior
Debentures due 2046 (the "Kellanova 2046 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836BQ0
|
$650,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
Indenture, dated as of
May 6, 2024, between Kellanova and U.S. Bank Trust Company,
National Association, as trustee, as amended and
supplemented
|
3.750% Senior Notes due
2034 (the "Kellanova 2034 Notes")
|
ISIN No.: XS2811886584
/ Common Code No.: 281188658
|
€300,000,000
|
€1.00 in
cash
|
5.750% Senior Notes due
2054 (the "Kellanova 2054 Notes")
|
CUSIP No.:
487836CA4
|
$300,000,000
|
$1.00 in
cash
|
- Reflects the consent payment for each $1,000 principal amount of
Existing Kellanova Notes denominated in U.S. dollars or €1,000
principal amount of Existing Kellanova Notes denominated in Euros,
as applicable, for which consents have been validly delivered and
not validly revoked at or prior to the Expiration Date, that will
be paid, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions
discussed in the Offering Memorandum, promptly after the
consummation of the Acquisition, on the Settlement Date.
The Proposed Amendments will eliminate or modify certain of the
covenants, other provisions and events of default in the Existing
Kellanova Indentures to be substantially consistent with the
corresponding provisions contained in the indentures governing
Mars' outstanding senior notes and include a covenant by Mars to
provide the Mars Guarantee following consummation of the
Acquisition.
The Proposed Amendments require consent from (i) with respect to
the 2001 Indenture, the holders of at least a majority of the
outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Kellanova 2031
Notes, (ii) with respect to the 2009 Indenture, the holders of at
least a majority of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of
the Kellanova 2026 Notes, the Kellanova 2027 Notes, the
Kellanova 2028 Notes, the Kellanova 2029 Notes, the Kellanova 2030
Notes, the Kellanova 2033 Notes and the Kellanova 2046 Notes,
voting as a single class, and (iii) with respect to the 2024
Indenture, the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding
aggregate principal amount of the Kellanova 2034 Notes and the
Kellanova 2054 Notes, voting as a single class (collectively, the
"Requisite Consents").
As of the Expiration Date, D.F. King & Co., Inc., the
Information and Tabulation Agent for the Consent Solicitations and
Offers to Guarantee, has advised Mars that the Requisite Consents
were received with respect to each Existing Kellanova
Indenture.
As a result of the receipt of the Requisite Consents in each of
the Consent Solicitations, on or about the date hereof, Mars,
Kellanova and the applicable Existing Kellanova Notes Trustee will
execute and deliver a supplemental indenture to each Existing
Kellanova Indenture implementing the Proposed Amendments (such
supplemental indenture, a "Kellanova Supplemental Indenture"). Each
Kellanova Supplemental Indenture will be effective upon execution,
but the Proposed Amendments will not become operative, the Consent
Payment will not be paid and the Mars Guarantee will not be issued
until the Settlement Date, assuming the satisfaction or waiver of
the conditions discussed in the Offering Memorandum.
Documents relating to the Consent Solicitations and Offers to
Guarantee were only distributed to persons who certified that they
are (a) a "Qualified Institutional Buyer" (a "QIB"), as that term
is defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), or (b) a person that is not a U.S.
person (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) (such
persons, "Eligible Holders"). BofA Securities, Inc., BNP Paribas
Securities Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan
Securities LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, Morgan Stanley &
Co. LLC and Rabo Securities USA,
Inc. acted as solicitation agents for the Consent Solicitations and
Offers to Guarantee.
This press release is provided for informational purposes only
and does not constitute an offer to sell or purchase, or a
solicitation of an offer to sell or purchase, or the solicitation
of consents with respect to, any security. No offer, solicitation,
purchase or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an
offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Consent
Solicitations and Offers to Guarantee were made solely pursuant to
the Offering Memorandum and only to such persons and in such
jurisdictions as are permitted under applicable law.
Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains "forward-looking statements"
which reflect management's expectations regarding the Company's
future growth, results of operations, operational and financial
performance and business prospects and opportunities. These
statements or disclosures may discuss goals, intentions and
expectations as to future trends, plans, events, results of
operations or financial condition or state other information
relating to the Company, based on current beliefs of management as
well as assumptions made by, and information currently available
to, the Company. Forward-looking statements generally will be
accompanied by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could,"
"estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "possible,"
"potential," "predict," "project" or other similar words, phrases
or expressions. Although the Company believes these forward-looking
statements are reasonable, they are based upon a number of
assumptions concerning future conditions, any or all of which may
ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements
involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
results to vary. Such forward-looking statements may include, among
other things, statements about the Consent Solicitations and Offers
to Guarantee and about the Acquisition. All forward-looking
statements in this communication apply only as of the date made and
are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary
statement. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or
circumstances.
Contact:
Kelly Frailey
Kelly.frailey@effem.com
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SOURCE Mars, Incorporated