Filing under Rule 425 under
the Securities Act of 1933
and deemed filed under Rule 14d-2
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filing by: Carnival Corporation
Subject Company: P&O Princess Cruises plc.
SEC File No. of Princess: 001-15136
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO
AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN
24 JULY 2002
CARNIVAL CORPORATION
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CARNIVAL WELCOMES CLEARANCE OF CARNIVAL / P&O PRINCESS
COMBINATION BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
The European Commission in Brussels today announced the clearance of the
proposed combination of P&O Princess and Carnival. The EC's decision concludes
that the proposed concentration would not lead to the creation of dominant
positions which might impede effective competition in any European markets. The
decision reflects the ease with which new operators can enter into or expand
cruise operations and the rapid growth of the UK and German markets forecast for
the coming years.
"WE ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY PLEASED WITH THE CONCLUSIONS REACHED BY THE EUROPEAN
COMMISSION.", SAID MICKY ARISON, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF CARNIVAL. "THE
COMMISSION UNDERTOOK AN IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, HEARING
ARGUMENTS FROM ALL PARTIES. WHILE THE PROCESS WAS NERVE-RACKING AT TIMES, THE
COMMISSION'S THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF THE LARGE AMOUNT OF MATERIAL AND SUBMISSIONS
RESULTED IN THE RIGHT OUTCOME. THIS DECISION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL
COMPETITION AUTHORITIES' VIEWS REACHED IN GERMANY AND THE UK ON THE PROPOSED P&O
PRINCESS/ROYAL CARIBBEAN COMBINATION.
WE HOPE THAT IN LIGHT OF OUR CLEARANCE IN EUROPE, P&O PRINCESS WILL NOW MEET
WITH US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE CLEARLY HAVE THE SUPERIOR FINANCIAL PROPOSAL AND
TODAY'S NEWS CONFIRMS WHAT WE HAVE INDICATED ALL ALONG: THAT BOTH TRANSACTIONS
ARE SIMILARLY SITUATED AND EQUALLY DELIVERABLE FROM A REGULATORY PERSPECTIVE."
Both combinations also remain under review by the Federal Trade Commission in
the US. A decision is expected for both transactions on a similar timetable,
which Carnival believes will not be before mid-September.
ENQUIRIES:
CARNIVAL Telephone: +1 305 599 2600
Micky Arison
Howard Frank
FINANCIAL DYNAMICS Telephone: +44 20 7831 3113
Nic Bennett
APCO EUROPE
Tom Brookes Telephone: +32 2 645 9834
MERRILL LYNCH Telephone: +44 20 7628 1000
Philip Yates
Mark Brooker
Stuart Faulkner
UBS WARBURG Telephone: +44 20 7567 8000
Alistair Defriez
Philip Ellick
Terms used in this announcement have the same meaning as in the announcement
dated 7 February 2002.
Merrill Lynch International and UBS Warburg Ltd., a subsidiary of UBS AG, are
acting as joint financial advisors and joint corporate brokers exclusively to
Carnival and no-one else in connection with the Increased Offer and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Carnival for providing the protections afforded
to clients respectively of Merrill Lynch International and UBS Warburg Ltd. as
the case may be or for providing advice in relation to the Increased Offer.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this announcement constitute "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Carnival has tried, wherever possible, to identify such statements by using
words such as "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan" and
words and terms of similar substance in connection with any discussion of future
operating or financial performance. These forward-looking statements, including
those which may impact the forecasting of Carnival's annual cost savings that
underlie estimates of synergies and one time costs to implement synergies, net
revenue yields, booking levels, price, occupancy or business prospects, involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause
Carnival's actual results, performances or achievements to be materially
different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others,
the following: general economic and business conditions which may impact levels
of disposable income of consumers and the net revenue yields for Carnival's
cruise products; consumer demand for cruises and other vacation options; other
vacation industry competition; effects on consumer demand of armed conflicts,
political instability, terrorism, the availability of air service and adverse
media publicity; increases in cruise industry and vacation industry capacity;
continued availability of attractive port destinations; changes in tax laws and
regulations; Carnival's ability to implement its brand strategy, Carnival's
ability to implement its shipbuilding program and to continue to expand its
business outside the North American market; Carnival's ability to attract and
retain shipboard crew; changes in foreign currency rates, security expenses,
food, fuel, insurance and commodity prices and interest rates; delivery of new
ships on schedule and at the contracted prices; weather patterns; unscheduled
ship repairs and dry-docking; incidents involving cruise ships; impact of
pending or threatened litigation; and changes in laws and regulations applicable
to Carnival.
Carnival cautions the reader that these risks may not be exhaustive. Carnival
operates in a continually changing business environment, and new risks emerge
from time to time. Carnival cannot predict such risks nor can it assess the
impact, if any, of such risks on its business or the extent to which any risk,
or combination of risks may cause actual results to differ from those projected
in any forward-looking statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements
should not be relied upon as a prediction of actual results. Carnival undertakes
no obligation publicly to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CARNIVAL PLANS TO FILE A REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND A STATEMENT ON
SCHEDULE TO WITH THE US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IN CONNECTION WITH
COMMENCEMENT OF THE INCREASED OFFER. THE FORM S-4 WILL CONTAIN A PROSPECTUS AND
OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE INCREASED OFFER. CARNIVAL PLANS TO MAIL THE
PROSPECTUS CONTAINED IN THE FORM S-4 TO SHAREHOLDERS OF P&O PRINCESS WHEN THE
FORM S-4 IS FILED WITH THE SEC. THE FORM S-4, THE PROSPECTUS AND THE SCHEDULE TO
WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT CARNIVAL, P&O PRINCESS, THE INCREASED
OFFER AND RELATED MATTERS. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS SHOULD READ THE FORM S-4,
THE PROSPECTUS, THE SCHEDULE TO AND THE OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN
CONNECTION WITH THE INCREASED OFFER CAREFULLY BEFORE THEY MAKE ANY DECISION WITH
RESPECT TO THE INCREASED OFFER. THE FORM S-4, THE PROSPECTUS, THE SCHEDULE TO
AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCREASED
OFFER WILL BE AVAILABLE WHEN FILED FREE OF CHARGE AT THE SEC'S WEB SITE, AT
WWW.SEC.GOV. IN ADDITION, THE PROSPECTUS AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE
SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCREASED OFFER WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO INVESTORS
FREE OF CHARGE BY WRITING TO TIM GALLAGHER AT CARNIVAL CORPORATION, CARNIVAL
PLACE, 3655 N.W. 87 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, 33178-2428, US.
IN ADDITION TO THE FORM S-4, PROSPECTUS, THE SCHEDULE TO AND THE OTHER DOCUMENTS
FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE INCREASED OFFER, CARNIVAL IS OBLIGATED
TO FILE ANNUAL, QUARTERLY AND CURRENT REPORTS, PROXY STATEMENTS AND OTHER
INFORMATION WITH THE SEC. PERSONS MAY READ AND COPY ANY REPORTS, STATEMENTS AND
OTHER INFORMATION FILED WITH THE SEC AT THE SEC'S PUBLIC REFERENCE ROOM AT 450
FIFTH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549. PLEASE CALL THE SEC AT
1-800-SEC-0330 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE PUBLIC REFERENCE ROOM. FILINGS
WITH THE SEC ALSO ARE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FROM COMMERCIAL DOCUMENT-RETRIEVAL
SERVICES AND AT THE WEB SITE MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT WWW.SEC.GOV.