Piper Jaffray to Add Electronic Trading Capability; Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Vie Securities, LLC
September 22 2004 - 7:54AM
PR Newswire (US)
Piper Jaffray to Add Electronic Trading Capability; Signs
Definitive Agreement to Acquire Vie Securities, LLC MINNEAPOLIS,
Sept. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Piper Jaffray Companies announced today
that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vie
Securities, LLC, the broker-dealer subsidiary of parent Vie
Financial Group, Inc., for a cash purchase price of $15 million.
Vie Securities is a leading provider of algorithm-based, electronic
execution services. This new capability will allow Piper Jaffray to
offer its institutional clients a full suite of trading products,
meeting the increased demand for automated, cost-effective
execution services. The transaction, which is expected to close in
the fourth quarter of 2004, has been approved by holders of more
than 96 percent of the outstanding shares of common stock of Vie
Financial Group and is subject to receipt of certain approvals from
the NYSE and the NASD. The transaction is expected to have an
immaterial effect on Piper Jaffray's earnings in 2004 and 2005, and
be accretive in 2006. "After considerable market evaluation, we
determined that Vie Securities was the best strategic fit for our
clients and our firm," said Andrew Duff, chairman and CEO of Piper
Jaffray Companies. "We will continue to offer high quality, high
touch trading execution and expect this new acquisition to be
complementary, fulfilling the increasing client demand for
value-added, algorithm-based trading services." The acquisition
includes proprietary algorithms, direct market access systems,
licensed trading technology, and approximately 25 employees based
in New York, who will transition to Piper Jaffray's New York office
next year. Vie Securities CEO Dean Stamos will continue to lead the
business, reporting to Mark Donahoe, head of Equity Trading at
Piper Jaffray. Vie clients will continue to receive service under
the Vie name until the transaction closes. "We are looking forward
to this new relationship," said Dean Stamos, CEO of Vie Securities,
LLC. "Piper Jaffray's large base of buy-side clients, financial
strength, and client-focused, non-proprietary trading platform
coupled with our expertise in providing state-of-the-art electronic
solutions make this a strong strategic and cultural fit." Piper
Jaffray will offer the Vie Securities capability as part of its
broader, client-focused equity trading platform. In order to
maintain confidentiality of all client trading data, the electronic
trading execution service will be operated independently from the
traditional market-making activities. About Piper Jaffray Companies
Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE:PJC) is a focused securities firm
dedicated to delivering superior financial advice, investment
products and transaction execution within selected sectors of the
financial services marketplace. The company operates through two
primary revenue-generating segments: Capital Markets and Private
Client Services. Investment Research, an independent group
reporting to the CEO, supports clients of both segments. Through
its chief operating subsidiary, Piper Jaffray & Co., the firm
has served corporations, government and non-profit entities,
institutional investors and the financial advisory needs of private
individuals since 1895. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Piper Jaffray
has approximately 3,000 employees in 111 offices in 23 states
across the country and in London. For more information about Piper
Jaffray, visit us online at http://www.piperjaffray.com/. About Vie
Financial Group, Inc. Headquartered in New York City, Vie Financial
Group, Inc. (OTC:VIFI) (BULLETIN BOARD: VIFI) provides a suite of
automated execution products to buy-side and sell-side customers
through its Vie Securities, LLC broker-dealer subsidiary. These
products employ both proprietary and licensed trading technology
and sophisticated trading algorithms that determine, in real time,
the most efficient manner to trade and secure the client benchmark
for individual stocks or baskets. Vie's algorithm-based systems
apply powerful mathematical modeling tools to the execution of
clients' orders in the most efficient manner possible by analyzing
vast amounts of information and intelligently applying that
analysis to the trading process. Vie acts in both an agency and
principal capacity but has no proprietary trading desk.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains
forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical or
current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations,
are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements
cover, among other things, the future prospects of Piper Jaffray
Companies, including the effect of the acquisition of Vie
Securities, LLC, on Piper Jaffray's earnings. Forward-looking
statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and important
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated, including the following: (1) costs or difficulties
relating to the integration of the Vie Securities and Piper Jaffray
businesses may be greater than expected, (2) Piper Jaffray may be
unable to achieve benefits relating to the acquisition as fully as
expected or within the expected time frame, and revenues may be
lower than expected, (3) developments in market and economic
conditions have in the past adversely affected, and may in the
future adversely affect, Piper Jaffray's business and
profitability, (4) Piper Jaffray may not be able to compete
successfully with other companies in the financial services
industry, (5) Piper Jaffray's technology systems are critical
components of its operations and the failure of those systems may
disrupt its business, cause financial loss and constrain its
growth, and (6) other factors identified in the document entitled
"Risk Factors" filed as Exhibit 99.1 to Piper Jaffray's Quarterly
Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2004, and in its
subsequent reports filed with the SEC. These reports are available
at Piper Jaffray's Web site at http://www.piperjaffray.com/ and at
the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov/. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date they are made, and Piper
Jaffray undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new
information or future events. Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE.
DATASOURCE: Piper Jaffray Companies CONTACT: Susan Beatty, Media
Relations, Piper Jaffray Companies, +1-612-303-5680 Web site:
http://www.piperjaffray.com/
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