Troutman Sanders Advises on Billion Dollar Merger of EarthLink and Windstream
ATLANTA – Nov. 9, 2016 – Troutman Sanders is advising EarthLink Holdings Corp. on a merger agreement with Windstream Holdings, Inc., announced today. The agreement, which was unanimously approved by both companies’ board of directors, is an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion, including debt.
The combined company is expected to have increased scale and scope giving it the ability to leverage best practices across a broader platform, and offer customers expanded products, services and enhanced enterprise solutions. The combination will result in an extensive national footprint spanning approximately 145,000 fiber route miles and provide advanced network connectivity, managed services, voice, internet and other value-added services.
The merger is subject to approval by the Federal Communications Commission, the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, applicable state-level regulatory approvals and approval by Windstream and EarthLink shareholders. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2017.
The Troutman Sanders team assisting EarthLink includes corporate lawyers David Carter, Mason Bayler, Heather Ducat and Kaitlin Cannavo and employee benefits lawyers Jeff Banish and Greg Matisoff.
Detailed information on the deal can be found here.