AmerisourceBergen to Acquire MWI Veterinary Supply, the Leading Animal Health Distribution Company in the United States

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. & BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 12, 2015-- AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) and MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ:MWIV) today announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement for AmerisourceBergen to acquire MWI Veterinary Supply (MWI), the leading animal health distribution company in the United States.


Under the terms and conditions of the merger agreement, AmerisourceBergen, through a new wholly-owned subsidiary, will make an all cash tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of MWI at a price of $190.00 per share, representing a $2.5 billion fully diluted equity value. The $190.00 per share consideration represents an approximately 17.4% premium to the volume weighted average closing price of MWI’s common stock over the three-month period ended January 9, 2015, the last trading day prior to the announcement. AmerisourceBergen expects to finance the transaction through a combination of cash and long-term debt. The tender offer is conditioned on MWI’s stockholders tendering at least a majority of outstanding shares in the tender offer, clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act and other customary closing conditions. The parties expect the transaction to close during the March quarter of 2015.



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Kimmel Move May Seal Fate of ‘Nightline’

The following is an excerpt from an article in 

The New York Times
Monday, August 27, 2012

Kimmel Move May Seal Fate of ‘Nightline’

By BILL CARTER

Jimmy Kimmel’s ascent to the main stage of late-night television — the hour directly after the 11 p.m. local news — was greeted last week with widespread congratulations for a performer who had paid his dues and for a network willing to shake up the late-night status quo and bet on a comedic challenger to David Letterman and Jay Leno.

But there was little outcry over the corresponding demotion of “Nightline,” the 32-year-old institution of ABC News that is being relegated to the 12:35 a.m. slot to make room for “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” nor any public denunciations from the hierarchy of ABC News.

Instead, the network’s appraisal that it simply can make more money with Mr. Kimmel — the president of the Disney/ABC Television Group, Anne Sweeney, evaluated the move in terms of an advantage in advertising sales — was accepted as both reasonable and sensible.

Several longtime late-night producers praised Mr. Kimmel’s talents, predicting he would find success, even competing against the entrenched titans of that hour, Mr. Letterman on CBS and Mr. Leno on NBC.

Lloyd Braun, a former ABC entertainment chief who selected Mr. Kimmel for the network 10 years ago, said: “Jimmy is young. He could have 10 or 20 years in late night — and he’s a brand. We’re going to live in a world where brands are going to mean everything.”

Tom Bettag, the longtime “Nightline” executive producer who now works with the former “Nightline” anchor Ted Koppel on “Rock Center” on NBC, expressed deep regret that his old show was being elbowed out of its perennial spot.

But, he said, “it had lost some of that indispensable quality” it had when first conceived by former ABC News president, Roone Arledge.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.

ABC Sees a Contender in Jimmy Kimmel

The following is an excerpt from an article in

The New York Times
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

ABC Sees a Contender in Jimmy Kimmel

By BILL CARTER

In 2002, ABC pulled out every stop to lure David Letterman away from CBS, offering him the time period occupied by its news program "Nightline." The network failed, and soon after inserted a new late-night host, Jimmy Kimmel, in the hour after "Nightline."

In 2008, ABC aggressively pursued Jay Leno, who was about to be displaced at NBC's "Tonight" show by Conan O'Brien, looking to give Mr. Leno the same slot still owned by "Nightline." Mr. Leno decided instead to try his ill-fated prime-time show on NBC. ABC stuck with Jimmy Kimmel.

Now, the network has decided that it finally has the man to take on both Mr. Leno and Mr. Letterman: Jimmy Kimmel.

ABC announced Tuesday that in January it would move "Jimmy Kimmel Live" to the 11:35 time slot, the same time as both Jay Leno's "Tonight Show" and the "Late Show With David Letterman."

For the network, the change represents a significant gamble.

First, ABC is removing "Nightline" when that program finally has audiences larger than Mr. Leno's or Mr. Letterman's. The 32-year-old news program will surely see a decline in viewership after being asked to follow Mr. Kimmel at 12:35. As a concession, ABC is giving "Nightline" a prime-time hour on Fridays at 9 p.m. starting in March.

Second, ABC is betting that a generational shift is going on in late-night television, and that it will be in position to capitalize. ABC is hoping to increase its percentage of viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 - the favorite of many advertisers - with an entertainment program headed by a star two decades younger than Mr. Letterman and Mr. Leno.

For more, visit www.nytimes.com.