To: Jon C who wrote (3456 ) 3/2/2000 11:24:00 AM From: Glenn Petersen Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 3519
XSNI to be acquired by Liberty Surf and we are not going to like it:biz.yahoo.com Thursday March 2, 9:38 am Eastern Time Company Press Release Liberty Surf Group S.A. to Acquire the X-Stream Network Inc. PARIS, FRANCE and LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 2, 2000--Liberty Surf Group S.A. and The X-Stream Network Inc. (OTC BB:XSNI - news) today announced that they had entered into a merger agreement pursuant to which Liberty Surf will acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of X-Stream. This merger brings together two leading providers of free Internet access in France and the United Kingdom (X-Stream also has start-up operations in Scandinavia and the Netherlands). Liberty Surf was founded in April 1999 by a group of shareholders including Kingfisher plc, one of Europe's leading retailers, and Europ@web, a group created by Bernard Arnault, Chairman of LVMH, to support and accelerate the growth of Internet companies. Liberty Surf currently offers Internet users in France free Internet access, French-language Internet content, Internet tools and services (including free e-mail), e-commerce offerings from local and global online retailers, and bundled telecommunications offers. The X-Stream Network, launched in March 1998, was the U.K.'s first free ISP and also recently launched its services in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands. It offers subscribers a local portal that delivers an integrated offering of country-specific content, a wide selection of e-commerce services, and free e-mail. The merger agreement provides that following compliance with limited closing conditions relating in particular to regulatory matters, the merger will be completed and X-Stream will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Surf. X-Stream shareholders (other than Liberty Surf, which currently owns approximately 10% of X-Stream) will receive U.S. $1.26 for each X-Stream share, representing aggregate cash consideration of U.S. $68.35 million. The total valuation of X-Stream on this basis is U.S. $75.35 million. The Board of Directors of X-Stream has unanimously approved the merger and holders of a majority of X-Stream's shares have also approved it. X-Stream shareholders will shortly be sent more detailed information on the transaction and how they can receive the merger consideration. Contact: For Liberty Surf Group S.A. Euro RSCG Corporate Stephanie Raynaud 33-1-41 34 45 49 www.libertysurf.fr or The X-Stream Network Inc. Dina Brewer 44-870-730-6466