Iona Technologies Plc - Additional Proxy Soliciting Materials (definitive) (DEFA14A)
June 27 2008 - 5:00PM
Edgar (US Regulatory)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant
þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant
o
Check the appropriate box:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
o
|
|
Preliminary Proxy Statement
|
|
o
|
|
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only
|
o
|
|
Definitive Proxy Statement
|
|
|
|
(as permitted By Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
|
o
|
|
Definitive Additional Materials
|
|
|
|
|
þ
|
|
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
|
|
|
|
|
IONA Technologies PLC
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
|
|
|
o
|
|
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
|
|
(1)
|
|
Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and
state how it was determined):
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
|
|
|
(5)
|
|
Total fee paid:
|
|
|
|
o
|
|
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:
|
|
|
|
o
|
|
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the
offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing
by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the
date of its filing.
|
|
(1)
|
|
Amount previously paid:
|
|
|
(2)
|
|
Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
|
|
|
(3)
|
|
Filing Party:
|
|
|
(4)
|
|
Date Filed:
|
On June 25, 2008, Eric A. Newcomer, Chief Technology Officer of IONA Technologies PLC (the
Company or IONA) posted the following blog on
the Companys website at http://blogs.iona.com/newcomer/ in
connection with the announcement that the Company and Progress Software Corporation, a
Massachusetts corporation (Progress), had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended
acquisition for cash of the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company, whereby
SPK Acquisitions Limited, a private limited company incorporated under Irish company law and a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Progress (SPK Acquisitions), will acquire all of the issued and to be
issued share capital of the Company not already owned by Progress or its subsidiaries for cash (the
Scheme) by means of a scheme of arrangement under Section 201 of the Irish Companies Act 1963
(the Companies Act) (the proposed acquisition by SPK Acquisitions of the Company is referred to
as the Acquisition):
Its Progress, After All
It definitely seems like a long time since the
process started
, but this is about as good an
outcome
as we could have hoped for.
The number of employees who have both IONA and Progress on their LinkedIn page is probably a couple
dozen or even more. We have been neighbors in the Boston area for a long time and there has been a
lot of cross-pollination.
Although we have been competing in the ESB and SOA space, we have had a common vision and very
similar positioning in the market. Its a bit like two former rivals of the basketball court, each
with different strengths and skills, finally getting put on the same team. And its actually this
aspect thats the most interesting putting together two strong teams with complementary
expertise.
I started thinking about this because one of the questions we keep getting on the analyst briefings
is how we plan to combing the
Artix suite
and the
Sonic ESB family
.
First, its interesting to note that both companies have been moving away from a pure ESB
positioning toward a suite or family of products for SOA. So the question is actually a bit
broader: how can we sensibly combine multiple product components and create the best independent
and comprehensive anti-stack SOA offering?
Some of the specific details are yet to be worked out, but we have always known that even while we
were promoting Artix as a unique, configurable microkernel aimed at endpoint integration
requirements, the Sonic familys approach, based on leading JMS technology, is something that meets
a lot of different and equally important SOA requirements. The Artix suites focus on distributed
service enablement actually adds a lot to the Sonic family, and even as we positioned ourselves
competitively in the past I think we each always knew this somehow.
One of the more interesting aspects is the future of the
FUSE
product line and the view of the
combined company toward the open source projects with which weve been involved. We have already
seen this commment on the
Server Side
. As one of the folks who champoined getting involved in open
source I am glad to say the Progress folks Ive spoken with are very interested and enthusiastic
supporters, and see a lot of value in the announced acquisition in helping to get more involved in
open source.
We have also worked together as partners. A few years ago we were resellers of the Progress
Sonic
MQ
product, and Artix still offers native integration with Sonic MQ, as does the recently released
WCF Connect
product. And more recently we had begun integrating the
Actional SOA Management
product
line with the Artix suite and selling them jointly.
A couple of years ago I had the unusual situation of being asked to share a half-day SOA tutorial
with someone from Progress. For the first couple of hours we took turns saying exactly the same
things about SOA, application architecture, and the unnecessary complexity of Java EE application
servers. Then we each took a turn describing how our respective products met the same requirements,
and served exactly the same segment of the industry (i.e. SOA infrastructure) with different
approaches. Instead of arguing over that, we can now agree 100% and are part of the same team.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the Acquisition and the Scheme, IONA intends to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and mail to its shareholders a proxy statement (comprising the scheme
document). Investors and shareholders of IONA are urged to read the proxy statement (comprising the
scheme document) and the other relevant materials when they become available because they will
contain important information about IONA, SPK Acquisitions, Progress and the proposed Acquisition
and the Scheme and related matters.
2
The proxy statement (comprising the scheme document) and other relevant materials (when they become
available), and any and all documents filed by IONA and Progress with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, may be obtained free of charge at the Securities and Exchange Commissions web site at
www.sec.gov
. In addition, investors and shareholders may obtain free copies of the documents filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission by IONA by directing a written request to IONA, c/o
IONA Technologies, Inc., 200 West Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States of America,
Attention: Investor Relations and by Progress by directing a written request to Progress Software
Corporation, 14 Oak Park Drive, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730, United States of America, Attention:
Investor Relations.
INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (COMPRISING THE SCHEME DOCUMENT)
AND THE OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING OR INVESTMENT
DECISION WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION AND THE SCHEME.
IONA, SPK Acquisitions and Progress and their respective executive officers and directors may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of IONA in
connection with the Acquisition and the Scheme. Information about those executive officers and
directors of IONA and their ownership of IONA Shares is set forth in IONAs Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended 31 December 2007, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on 14 March 2008, and the proxy statement for IONAs 2008 Annual General Meeting, which
was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 29 April 2008, and is supplemented by
other public filings made, and to be made, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Information
about those executive officers and directors of Progress is set forth in Progress Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended 30 November 2007, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on 29 January 2008, the proxy statement for Progress 2008 Annual Meeting, which was
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 24 March 2008, and is supplemented by other
public filings made, and to be made, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors and
shareholders may obtain additional information regarding the direct and indirect interests of IONA,
SPK Acquisitions, Progress and their respective executive officers and directors in the Acquisition
and the Scheme by reading the proxy statement (comprising the Scheme Document) and other filings
referred to above.
Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements
Certain items in this filing may contain forward-looking statements that are based on current
expectations or beliefs, as well as assumptions about future events. Forward-looking statements are
statements that contain predictions or projections of future events or performance, and often
contain words such as anticipates, can, estimates, believe, expects, projects, will,
might, or other words indicating a statement about the future. These statements are based on
IONAs, SPK Acquisitions or Progress, as applicable, current expectations and beliefs and are
subject to a number of trends and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements. Reliance should not be placed on any such
statements because of their very nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and
uncertainties and can be affected by factors that could cause them to differ materially from those
expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. IONA, SPK Acquisitions or Progress, as
applicable, can give no assurance that expectations will be attained. Risks, uncertainties and
other important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or
implied in the forward-looking statements include: uncertainties as to the timing of the closing of
the Acquisition; uncertainties as to whether the IONA Shareholders will vote in favour of the
Acquisition; the risk that competing offers to acquire IONA will be made; the possibility that
various closing conditions for the Acquisition may not be satisfied or waived, including that a
governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant approval for the consummation of the
Acquisition; the effects of disruption from the Acquisition making it more difficult to maintain
relationships with employees, licensees, other business partners or governmental entities; other
business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of
Progress or IONAs control; transaction costs; actual or contingent liabilities; uncertainties as
to whether anticipated synergies will be realized; uncertainties as to whether IONAs business will
be successfully integrated with Progress business; and other risks and uncertainties discussed in
documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by IONA and Progress, including IONAs
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 14 March 2008,
IONAs Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 12 May
2008, Progress Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 29
January 2008, and Progress Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on 9 April 2008. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
filing. IONA, SPK Acquisitions and Progress expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to
release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to
reflect any change in
3
IONAs, SPK Acquisitions or Progress, as applicable, expectations with regard thereto or change
in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Disclosure Required by the Irish Takeover Rules
The directors of the Company accept responsibility for the information contained in this filing. To
the best of the knowledge and belief of the directors of the Company (who have taken all reasonable
care to ensure such is the case), the information contained in this filing is in accordance with
the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.
Lehman Brothers Inc., which is regulated under the laws of the United States of America, is acting
exclusively for the Board of Directors of the Company and no one else in connection with the
Acquisition and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Board of Directors of the Company
for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lehman Brothers Inc. or for providing advice
in relation to the Acquisition, the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement
referred to herein.
Davy Corporate Finance, which is regulated by the Financial Regulator in Ireland, is acting
exclusively for IONA and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible
to anyone other than IONA for providing the protections afforded to clients of Davy Corporate
Finance or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition, the contents of this filing or any
transaction or arrangement referred to herein.
Merrion Stockbrokers Limited, which is regulated by the Financial Regulator in Ireland, is acting
exclusively for IONA and no one else in connection with the Acquisition and will not be responsible
to anyone other than IONA for providing the protections afforded to clients of Merrion Stockbrokers
Limited or for providing advice in relation to the Acquisition, the contents of this filing or any
transaction or arrangement referred to herein.
Any person who is a holder of 1% or more of the share capital of the Company may have disclosure
obligations under Rule 8.3 of the Irish Takeover Rules, effective from the date of the commencement
of the offer period in respect of the Acquisition.
4
Iona Technologies Adr (MM) (NASDAQ:IONA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Aug 2024 to Sep 2024
Iona Technologies Adr (MM) (NASDAQ:IONA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2023 to Sep 2024