Exhibit
(a)(1)(B)
LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL
To Tender Shares of Common Stock,
Par Value $.001 Per Share
of
Expedia, Inc.
Pursuant to the offer to purchase, dated December 11,
2006
THE TENDER OFFER, PRORATION
PERIOD AND WITHDRAWAL RIGHTS WILL
EXPIRE AT 5:00 P.M., NEW
YORK CITY TIME, ON WEDNESDAY,
JANUARY 10, 2007, UNLESS
EXPEDIA EXTENDS THE TENDER OFFER.
The depositary for the tender offer is:
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
Telephone Assistance:
1-800-507-9357
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By Mail:
The Bank of New York
Expedia Inc.
P.O. Box 859208
Braintree, MA 02185-9028
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By Hand:
The Bank of New York
Tender & Exchange Dept.
11W
101 Barclay Street
Receive & Deliver Window
Street Level
New York, NY 10286
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By Overnight Delivery:
The Bank of New York
Expedia Inc.
161 Bay State Road
Braintree, MA 02184
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By Facsimile:
For Eligible Institutions Only
(781) 380-3388
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Confirm Facsimile Receipt by
telephone:
(781) 843-1833,
Ext 200
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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES
TENDERED
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Names(s) and Address(es) of Registered Holders(s)
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Certificate(s) Tendered
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(Please fill in, if blank, exactly as name(s) appear(s) on
certificate(s))
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(Attach and sign additional list if necessary)
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Number of Shares
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Number of
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Certificate
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Represented by
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Share(s)
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Number(s)*
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Certificate(s)
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Tendered**
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Total Shares
Tendered*
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*** Indicate in this box the
order (by certificate number) in which shares are to be
purchased in event of proration (attach additional signed list
if necessary): See Instruction 7.
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1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th: 5th: 6th:
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* Need not complete if shares
are delivered by book-entry transfer.
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** If you desire to tender
fewer than all shares evidenced by any certificate(s) listed
above, please indicate in this column the number of shares you
wish to tender. Otherwise, all shares evidenced by such
certificate(s) will be deemed to have been tendered. See
Instruction 4.
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*** If you do not designate an
order and Expedia purchases less than all shares tendered due to
proration, the depositary will select the shares that Expedia
will purchase. See Instruction 7.
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Delivery of this letter of transmittal to an address other
than one of those set forth above will not constitute a
valid delivery. You must deliver this letter of transmittal to
the depositary. Deliveries to Expedia, Inc.
(Expedia) or MacKenzie Partners, Inc. (the
information agent for the tender offer) will not be forwarded to
the depositary and therefore will not constitute valid delivery
to the depositary. Delivery of the letter of transmittal and any
other required documents to the book-entry transfer facility
will not constitute delivery to the depositary.
YOU MAY NOT USE THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL TO TENDER
SHARES HELD IN THE EXPEDIA RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN.
INSTEAD, YOU MUST USE THE SEPARATE TENDER
INSTRUCTION FORMS SENT TO PARTICIPANTS IN THIS
PLAN.
You should use this letter of transmittal if you are causing
the shares to be delivered by book-entry transfer to the
depositarys account at the Depositary Trust Company
(DTC, which is hereinafter referred to as the
book-entry transfer facility) pursuant to the
procedures set forth in Section 3 of the offer to purchase.
Only financial institutions that are participants in the
book-entry transfer facilitys system may make book-entry
delivery of the shares.
MacKenzie Partners,
Inc.
105 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10016
(212) 929-5500
(call collect)
E-mail:
proxy@mackenziepartners.com
or
Call Toll Free
(800) 322-2885
BEFORE COMPLETING THIS LETTER OF
TRANSMITTAL, YOU SHOULD READ THIS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND THE
ACCOMPANYING INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.
You should use this letter of transmittal only if (1) you
are also enclosing certificates for the shares you desire to
tender, or (2) you intend to deliver certificates for such
shares under a notice of guaranteed delivery previously sent to
the depositary, or (3) you are delivering shares through a
book-entry transfer into the depositarys account at The
Depositary Trust Company (i.e., the book-entry transfer
facility) in accordance with Section 3 of the offer to
purchase.
If you desire to tender shares in the tender offer, but you
cannot deliver the certificates for your shares and all other
required documents to the depositary by the expiration date (as
set forth in the offer to purchase), or cannot comply with the
procedures for book-entry transfer on a timely basis, then you
may tender your shares according to the guaranteed delivery
procedures set forth in Section 3 of the offer to purchase.
See Instruction 2. Delivery of the letter of transmittal
and any other required documents to the book-entry transfer
facility does not constitute delivery to the depositary.
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Check here if you are delivering
tendered shares pursuant to a notice of guaranteed delivery that
you previously sent to the depositary and complete the
following:
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Name(s) of Tendering
Stockholder(s):
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Date of Execution of Notice of
Guaranteed Delivery:
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Name of Institution that Guaranteed
Delivery:
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Check here if any certificates
evidencing the shares you are tendering with this letter of
transmittal have been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. If
you check this box, you must complete an affidavit of loss and
return it with your letter of transmittal. You should call The
Bank of New York, the transfer agent, at
1-800-507-9357
to get information about the requirements for replacement. You
may be required to post a bond to secure against the risk that
certificates may be subsequently recirculated. Please call The
Bank of New York immediately to obtain an affidavit of loss, to
receive further instructions on how to proceed, and to determine
whether you will need to post a bond, so that the timely
processing of this letter of transmittal will not be impeded.
See Instruction 16.
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Check here if you are a
financial institution that is a participating institution in the
book-entry transfer facilitys system and you are
delivering the tendered shares by book-entry transfer to an
account maintained by the depositary at the book-entry transfer
facility, and complete the following:
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Name(s) of Tendering
Institution:
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NOTE: SIGNATURES MUST BE
PROVIDED BELOW
PLEASE READ THE ACCOMPANYING
INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY
CHECK EXACTLY ONE BOX. IF
YOU CHECK MORE THAN ONE BOX, OR IF YOU DO NOT CHECK ANY BOX, YOU
WILL HAVE FAILED TO VALIDLY TENDER ANY SHARES.
SHARES TENDERED
AT PRICE DETERMINED PURSUANT TO THE TENDER OFFER
(SEE INSTRUCTION 5)
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The undersigned wants to maximize the chance of having Expedia
purchase all shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the
possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this
ONE box INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE PRICE BOXES BELOW,
the undersigned hereby tenders shares and is willing to
accept the purchase price determined by Expedia pursuant to the
tender offer (the Purchase Price). This action could
result in receiving a price per share as low as $18.50.
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OR
SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER
(SEE INSTRUCTION 5)
By checking ONE of the boxes below INSTEAD OF THE BOX
ABOVE, the undersigned hereby tenders shares at the price
checked. This action could result in none of the shares being
purchased if the Purchase Price is less than the price checked
below. A stockholder who desires to tender shares at more
than one price must complete a separate letter of transmittal
for each price at which the stockholder tenders shares. You
cannot tender the same shares at more than one price, unless you
have previously validly withdrawn those shares tendered at a
different price in accordance with Section 4 of the offer
to purchase.
Price (in Dollars) Per Share at Which Shares Are Being
Tendered
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$18.50
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$19.50
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$20.50
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$21.50
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$18.75
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$19.75
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$20.75
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$21.75
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$19.00
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$20.00
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$21.00
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$22.00
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$19.25
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$20.25
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$21.25
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You WILL NOT have validly tendered your shares
unless you check ONE AND ONLY ONE BOX IN THIS FRAME.
ODD LOTS
(See Instruction 6)
To be completed only if shares are being tendered by or
on behalf of a person owning, beneficially or of record, an
aggregate of fewer than 100 shares.
On the date hereof, the undersigned either (check ONE box):
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is the beneficial or record owner of an aggregate of fewer than
100 shares and is tendering all of those shares, or
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is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other
nominee that (i) is tendering, for the beneficial owner(s)
thereof, shares with respect to which it is the record holder,
and (ii) believes, based upon representations made to it by
such beneficial owner(s), that each such person was the
beneficial owner of an aggregate of fewer than 100 shares
and is tendering all of such shares.
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In addition, the undersigned is tendering shares (check ONE
box):
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at the Purchase Price, which will be determined by Expedia in
accordance with the terms of the tender offer (persons checking
this box should check the box under the heading
Shares Tendered at Price Determined Pursuant to the
Tender Offer); or
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at the price per share indicated under the heading
Shares Tendered at Price Determined by
Stockholder.
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CONDITIONAL TENDER
(See Instruction 11)
A tendering stockholder may
condition his or her tender of shares upon Expedia purchasing a
specified minimum number of the shares tendered, as described in
Section 6 of the offer to purchase. Unless Expedia
purchases at least the minimum number of shares you indicate
below pursuant to the terms of the tender offer, Expedia will
not purchase any of the shares tendered below. It is the
tendering stockholders responsibility to calculate that
minimum number, and we urge each stockholder to consult his or
her own tax advisor in doing so. Unless you check the box
immediately below and specify, in the space provided, a minimum
number of shares that Expedia must purchase from you if Expedia
purchases any shares from you, Expedia will deem your tender
unconditional.
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The minimum number of shares that Expedia must purchase from me
if Expedia purchases any shares from me, is:
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shares.
If, because of proration, Expedia
will not purchase the minimum number of shares from you that you
designate, Expedia may accept conditional tenders by random lot,
if necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random
lot, the tendering stockholder must have tendered all of his or
her shares. To certify that you are tendering all of the shares
you own, check the box below.
o The tendered shares
represent all shares held by the undersigned.
SPECIAL PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS
(See Instructions 1 and 10)
Complete this box ONLY if the check for the aggregate
Purchase Price of shares purchased (less the amount of any
federal income or backup withholding tax required to be
withheld)
and/or
certificate for shares not tendered or not purchased are to be
issued in the name of someone other than the undersigned, or if
shares tendered hereby and delivered by book-entry transfer
which are not purchased are to be returned by crediting them to
an account at the book-entry transfer facility other than the
account designated above.
CHECK ONE OR BOTH BOXES AS APPROPRIATE:
o Issue Check
to:
o Issue Share
Certificate to:
(Please Print)
(Include Zip Code)
(Taxpayer Identification or
Social Security Number)
(See Substitute
Form W-9
Included Herewith)
CHECK and COMPLETE IF APPLICABLE:
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Credit shares delivered by book-entry transfer and not
purchased to the account set forth below:
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Account
Number:
SPECIAL DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
(See Instructions 1 and 10)
Complete this box ONLY if the check for the aggregate
Purchase Price of shares purchased (less the amount of any
federal income or backup withholding tax required to be
withheld)
and/or
certificate for shares not tendered or not purchased are to be
mailed to someone other than the undersigned or to the
undersigned at an address other than that shown below the
undersigneds signature(s).
CHECK ONE OR BOTH BOXES AS APPROPRIATE:
o Deliver Check
to:
o Deliver Share
Certificate to:
(Please Print)
(Include Zip Code)
(Taxpayer Identification or
Social Security Number)
(See Substitute
Form W-9
Included Herewith)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned hereby tenders to Expedia, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (Expedia), the above-described shares of
Expedias common stock, par value $.001 per share (the
shares).
The tender of the shares is being made at the price per share
indicated in this letter of transmittal, net to the seller in
cash, without interest, on the terms and subject to the
conditions set forth in this letter of transmittal and in
Expedias offer to purchase, dated December 11, 2006,
receipt of which is hereby acknowledged.
Subject to and effective upon acceptance for payment of, and
payment for, shares tendered with this letter of transmittal in
accordance with the terms of the tender offer, the undersigned
hereby (1) sells, assigns and transfers to or upon the
order of Expedia all right, title and interest in and to all of
the shares tendered hereby which are so accepted and paid for;
(2) orders the registration of any shares tendered by
book-entry transfer that are purchased under the tender offer to
or upon the order of Expedia; and (3) appoints the
depositary as
attorney-in-fact
of the undersigned with respect to such shares, with the full
knowledge that the depositary also acts as the agent of Expedia,
with full power of substitution (such power of attorney being an
irrevocable power coupled with an interest), to perform the
following functions:
(a) deliver certificates for shares, or transfer ownership
of such shares on the account books maintained by the book-entry
transfer facility, together in either such case with all
accompanying evidence of transfer and authenticity, to or upon
the order of Expedia, upon receipt by the depositary, as the
undersigneds agent, of the Purchase Price with respect to
such shares;
(b) present certificates for such shares for cancellation
and transfer on Expedias books; and
(c) receive all benefits and otherwise exercise all rights
of beneficial ownership of such shares, subject to the next
paragraph, all in accordance with the terms of the tender offer.
The undersigned understands that Expedia will, upon the terms
and subject to the conditions of the tender offer, determine a
single per share price, not greater than $22.00 nor less than
$18.50 per share (the Purchase Price), which it will
pay for shares validly tendered and not validly withdrawn
pursuant to the tender offer, after taking into account the
number of shares so tendered and the prices specified by
tendering stockholders. The undersigned understands that Expedia
will select the lowest purchase price that will allow it to
purchase 30,000,000 shares or, if a lesser number of shares
is validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, all such shares
that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. The
undersigned further understands that Expedia reserves the right
to purchase more than 30,000,000 shares pursuant to the
tender offer, subject to certain limitations and legal
requirements as set forth in the tender offer. Expedia will
purchase all shares validly tendered at or below the Purchase
Price and not validly withdrawn, subject to the conditions of
the tender offer and the odd lot priority, proration
and conditional tender provisions described in the offer to
purchase. The undersigned understands that all stockholders
whose shares are purchased by Expedia will receive the same
Purchase Price for each share purchased in the tender offer.
The undersigned hereby covenants, represents and warrants to
Expedia that:
(a) the undersigned has a net long position in the shares
at least equal to the number of shares being tendered within the
meaning of
Rule 14e-4
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
Exchange Act), and is tendering the shares in
compliance with
Rule 14e-4
under the Exchange Act;
(b) has full power and authority to tender, sell, assign
and transfer the shares tendered hereby;
(c) when and to the extent Expedia accepts the shares for
purchase, Expedia will acquire good and marketable title to
them, free and clear of all security interests, liens,
restrictions, claims, charges, encumbrances, conditional sales
agreements or other obligations relating to their sale or
transfer, and the shares will not be subject to any adverse
claims or rights;
(d) the undersigned will, upon request, execute and deliver
any additional documents deemed by the depositary or Expedia to
be necessary or desirable to complete the sale, assignment and
transfer of the shares tendered hereby and accepted for
purchase; and
(e) the undersigned has read and agrees to all of the terms
of the tender offer.
The undersigned understands that tendering of shares under any
one of the procedures described in Section 3 of the offer
to purchase and in the Instructions to this letter of
transmittal will constitute an agreement between the undersigned
and Expedia upon the terms and subject to the conditions of the
tender offer. The undersigned acknowledges that under no
circumstances will Expedia pay interest on the Purchase Price.
The undersigned recognizes that under certain circumstances set
forth in the offer to purchase, Expedia may terminate or amend
the tender offer; or may postpone the acceptance for payment of,
or the payment for, shares tendered, or may accept for payment
fewer than all of the shares tendered hereby. The undersigned
understands that certificate(s) for any shares not tendered or
not purchased will be returned to the undersigned at the address
indicated above.
The names and addresses of the registered holders should be
printed, if they are not already printed above, exactly as they
appear on the certificates representing shares tendered hereby.
The certificate numbers, the number of shares represented by
such certificates, and the number of shares that the undersigned
wishes to tender, should be set forth in the appropriate boxes
above.
Unless otherwise indicated under Special Payment
Instructions, please issue the check for the aggregate
Purchase Price of any shares purchased (less the amount of any
federal income or backup withholding tax required to be
withheld),
and/or
return any shares not tendered or not purchased, in the name(s)
of the undersigned or, in the case of shares tendered by
book-entry transfer, by credit to the account at the book-entry
transfer facility designated above. Similarly, unless otherwise
indicated under Special Delivery Instructions,
please mail the check for the aggregate Purchase Price of any
shares purchased (less the amount of any federal income or
backup withholding tax required to be withheld), and any
certificates for shares not tendered or not purchased (and
accompanying documents, as appropriate) to the undersigned at
the address shown below the undersigneds signature(s). In
the event that both the Special Payment Instructions
and the Special Delivery Instructions are completed,
please issue the check for the aggregate Purchase Price of any
shares purchased (less the amount of any federal income or
backup withholding tax required to be withheld)
and/or
return any shares not tendered or not purchased in the name(s)
of, and mail said check and any certificates to, the person(s)
so indicated.
The undersigned recognizes that Expedia has no obligation, under
the Special Payment Instructions, to transfer any certificate
for shares from the name of its registered holder, or to order
the registration or transfer of shares tendered by book-entry
transfer, if Expedia purchases none of the shares represented by
such certificate or tendered by such book-entry transfer.
All authority conferred or agreed to be conferred in this letter
of transmittal shall survive the death or incapacity of the
undersigned and any obligations or duties of the undersigned
under this letter of transmittal shall be binding upon the
heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns of the
undersigned. Except as stated in the offer to purchase, this
tender is irrevocable.
STOCKHOLDER(S)
SIGN HERE
(See Instructions 1 and 8)
(Please Complete Substitute
Form W-9)
Must be signed by registered holder(s) exactly as name(s)
appear(s) on share certificate(s) or on a security position
listing or by person(s) authorized to become registered
holder(s) by share certificates and documents transmitted
herewith. If a signature is by an officer on behalf of a
corporation or by an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian,
attorney-in-fact,
agent or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative
capacity, please provide full title and see Instruction 8.
Signature(s) of
Stockholder(s)
Dated: _
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Please Print
Please Include Zip
Code
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Taxpayer Identification or
Social Security No.: |
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GUARANTEE
OF SIGNATURE(S)
(If Required, See Instructions 1 and 8)
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Dated: _
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INSTRUCTIONS TO
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
FORMING PART OF THE TERMS OF THE TENDER OFFER
If you participate in the Expedia Retirement Savings Plan,
you must not use this letter of transmittal to direct the tender
of the shares attributable to your account in one of this plan.
Instead, you must use the separate tender instruction
forms sent to participants in this plan. If you
participate in the Expedia Retirement Savings Plan, you should
read the separate tender instruction forms and
related materials carefully.
1. Guarantee of Signatures. Except
as otherwise provided in this Instruction, all signatures on
this letter of transmittal must be guaranteed by a financial
institution that is a participant in the Securities Transfer
Agents Medallion Program or a bank, broker, dealer, credit
union, savings association or other entity which is an
eligible guarantor institution as such term is
defined in
Rule 17Ad-15
under the Exchange Act (an Eligible Institution).
Signatures on this letter of transmittal need not be guaranteed
if either (a) this letter of transmittal is signed by the
registered holder(s) of the shares (which term, for purposes of
this letter of transmittal, shall include any participant in the
book-entry transfer facility whose name appears on a security
position listing as the owner of shares) tendered herewith and
such holder(s) have not completed either the box entitled
Special Payment Instructions or Special
Delivery Instructions in this letter of transmittal; or
(b) such shares are tendered for the account of an Eligible
Institution. See Instruction 8. You may also need to have
any certificates you deliver endorsed or accompanied by a stock
power, and the signatures on these documents may also need to be
guaranteed. See Instruction 8.
2. Delivery of Letter of Transmittal and
Certificates; Guaranteed Delivery Procedures. You
should use this letter of transmittal only if you are
(a) forwarding certificates with this letter of
transmittal, (b) going to deliver certificates under a
notice of guaranteed delivery previously sent to the depositary,
or (c) causing the shares to be delivered by book-entry
transfer pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 3
of the offer to purchase. In order for you to validly tender
shares, the depositary must receive certificates for all
physically tendered shares, or a confirmation of a book-entry
transfer of all shares delivered electronically into the
depositarys account at the book-entry transfer facility,
together in each case with a properly completed and duly
executed letter of transmittal, or an Agents Message in
connection with book-entry transfer, and any other documents
required by this letter of transmittal, at one of its addresses
set forth in this letter of transmittal by the expiration date
(as defined in the offer to purchase).
The term Agents Message means a message
transmitted by the book-entry transfer facility to, and received
by, the depositary, which states that the book-entry transfer
facility has received an express acknowledgment from the
participant in the book-entry transfer facility tendering the
shares, that the participant has received and agrees to be bound
by the terms of the letter of transmittal, and that Expedia may
enforce this agreement against the participant.
Guaranteed Delivery. If you cannot deliver
your shares and all other required documents to the depositary
by the expiration date, or the procedure for book-entry transfer
cannot be completed on a timely basis, you may tender your
shares, pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedure described
in Section 3 of the offer to purchase, by or through any
Eligible Institution. To comply with the guaranteed delivery
procedure, you must (1) properly complete and duly execute
a notice of guaranteed delivery substantially in the form
provided to you by Expedia, specifying the price at which you
are tendering your shares, including (where required) a
Signature Guarantee by an Eligible Institution in the form set
forth in the notice of guaranteed delivery; (2) arrange for
the depositary to receive the notice of guaranteed delivery by
the expiration date; and (3) ensure that the depositary
receives the certificates for all physically tendered shares or
book-entry confirmation of electronic delivery of shares, as the
case may be, together with a properly completed and duly
executed letter of transmittal with any required signature
guarantees or an Agents Message, and all other documents
required by this letter of transmittal, within three NASDAQ
trading days after receipt by the depositary of such notice of
guaranteed delivery, all as provided in Section 3 of the
offer to purchase.
The notice of guaranteed delivery may be delivered by hand,
facsimile transmission or mail to the depositary and must
include, if necessary, a guarantee by an eligible guarantor
institution in the form set forth in such notice. For shares to
be tendered validly under the guaranteed delivery procedure, the
depositary must receive the notice of guaranteed delivery before
the expiration date.
The method of delivery of all documents, including
certificates for shares, is at the option and risk of the
tendering stockholder. If you choose to deliver the documents by
mail, we recommend that you use registered mail with return
receipt requested, properly insured. In all cases, please allow
sufficient time to assure delivery.
Except as specifically permitted by Section 6 of the offer
to purchase, Expedia will not accept any alternative,
conditional or contingent tenders, nor will it purchase any
fractional shares. By executing this letter of transmittal, you
waive any right to receive any notice of the acceptance for
payment of your tendered shares.
3. Inadequate Space. If the space
provided in the box captioned Description of
Shares Tendered is inadequate, then you should list
the certificate numbers, the number of shares represented by the
certificate(s) and the number of shares tendered with respect to
each certificate on a separate signed schedule attached to this
letter of transmittal.
4. Partial Tenders and Unpurchased
Shares. (Not applicable to stockholders who
tender by book-entry transfer.) If you wish to tender (i.e.,
offer to sell) fewer than all of the shares evidenced by any
certificate(s) that you deliver to the depositary, fill in the
number of shares that you wish to tender (i.e., offer for sale)
in the column entitled Number of
Shares Tendered. In this case, if Expedia purchases
some but not all of the shares that you tender, Expedia will
issue to you a new certificate for the unpurchased shares. The
new certificate will be sent to the registered holder(s) as
promptly as practicable after the expiration date. Unless you
indicate otherwise, all shares represented by the certificate(s)
listed and delivered to the depositary will be deemed to have
been tendered. In the case of shares tendered by book-entry
transfer at the book-entry transfer facility, any tendered but
unpurchased shares will be credited to the appropriate account
maintained by the tendering stockholder at the book-entry
transfer facility. In each case, shares will be returned or
credited without expense to the stockholder.
5. Indication of Price at Which Shares are Being
Tendered. In order to validly tender your shares
by this letter of transmittal, you must either
a. check the box under SHARES TENDERED AT
PRICE DETERMINED PURSUANT TO THE TENDER OFFER in order to
maximize the chance of having Expedia purchase all of the shares
that you tender (subject to the possibility of proration); OR
b. check one of the boxes indicating the price per
share at which you are tendering shares in the section entitled
SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY
STOCKHOLDER.
YOU MUST CHECK ONE, AND ONLY ONE, BOX. If you
check more than one box or no boxes, then you will be deemed not
to have validly tendered your shares. If you wish to tender
portions of your different share holdings at different prices,
you must complete a separate letter of transmittal for each
price at which you wish to tender each such portion of your
share holdings. You cannot tender the same shares at more
than one price (unless, prior to tendering previously tendered
shares at a new price, you validly withdrew those shares in
accordance with Section 4 of the offer to purchase).
By checking the box under Shares Tendered at Price
Determined Pursuant to the Tender Offer you agree to
accept the Purchase Price resulting from the tender offer
process, which may be as low as $18.50 and as high as $22.00 per
share. By checking a box under Shares Tendered at
Price Determined by Stockholder, you acknowledge that
doing so could result in none of the shares you tender being
purchased if the Purchase Price for the shares turns out to be
less than the price you selected.
6. Odd Lots. As described in
Section 1 of the offer to purchase, if Expedia purchases
fewer than all shares properly tendered before the expiration
date and not properly withdrawn, Expedia will first purchase all
shares tendered by any stockholder who (a) owns,
beneficially or of record, an aggregate of fewer than
100 shares, and (b) tenders all of his or her shares
at or below the Purchase Price. You will only receive this
preferential treatment if you own fewer than 100 shares and
tender ALL of the shares you own at or below the Purchase Price.
Even if you otherwise qualify for odd lot
preferential treatment, you will not receive such preference
unless you complete the section entitled Odd Lots in
this letter of transmittal.
7. Order of Purchase in the Event of
Proration. As described in Section 1 of the
offer to purchase, stockholders may specify the order in which
their shares are to be purchased in the event that, as a result
of proration or otherwise, Expedia purchases some but not all of
the tendered shares pursuant to the terms of the tender offer.
The order of purchase may have an effect on the federal income
tax treatment of any gain or loss on the shares that Expedia
purchases. See Sections 1, 6 and 14 of the offer to
purchase.
8. Signatures on Letter of Transmittal, Stock
Powers and Endorsements.
a. Exact Signatures. If this letter
of transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the
shares tendered hereby, the signature(s) must correspond exactly
with the name(s) as written on the face of the certificate(s)
without any change whatsoever.
b. Joint Holders. If the shares are
registered in the names of two or more persons, ALL such persons
must sign this letter of transmittal.
c. Different Names on
Certificates. If any tendered shares are
registered in different names on several certificates, you must
complete, sign and submit as many separate letters of
transmittal as there are different registrations of certificates.
d. Endorsements. If this letter of
transmittal is signed by the registered holder(s) of the shares
tendered hereby, no endorsements of certificate(s) representing
such shares or separate stock powers are required unless payment
of the Purchase Price is to be made, or the certificates for
shares not tendered or tendered but not purchased are to be
issued, to a person other than the registered holder(s).
Signature(s) on Any Such Certificate(s) or Stock Powers Must
be Guaranteed by an Eligible Institution.
If this letter of transmittal is signed by a person other than
the registered holder(s) of the shares tendered hereby, or if
payment is to be made to a person other than the registered
holder(s), the certificate(s) for the shares must be endorsed or
accompanied by appropriate stock powers, in either case, signed
exactly as the name(s) of the registered holder(s) appear(s) on
the certificate(s) for such shares, and the signature(s) on such
certificates or stock power(s) must be guaranteed by an Eligible
Institution. See Instruction 1.
If this letter of transmittal or any certificate or stock power
is signed by a trustee, executor, administrator, guardian,
attorney-in-fact,
officer of a corporation or any other person acting in a
fiduciary or representative capacity, such person should so
indicate when signing and must submit to the depositary evidence
satisfactory to Expedia that such person has authority so to act.
9. Stock Transfer Taxes. Except as
provided in this Instruction 9, no stock transfer tax
stamps or funds to cover such stamps need to accompany this
letter of transmittal. Expedia will pay or cause to be paid any
stock transfer taxes payable on the transfer to it of shares
purchased under the tender offer. If, however:
a. payment of the Purchase Price is to be made to any
person other than the registered holder(s);
b. certificate(s) for shares not tendered or tendered
but not purchased are to be returned in the name of and to any
person other than the registered holder(s) of such shares; OR
c. tendered certificates are registered in the name
of any person(s) other than the person(s) signing this letter of
transmittal,
then the depositary will deduct from the Purchase Price the
amount of any stock transfer taxes (whether imposed on the
registered holder(s), such other person(s) or otherwise) payable
on account of the transfer of cash or stock thereby made to such
person, unless satisfactory evidence of the payment of such
taxes or an exemption from them is submitted with this letter of
transmittal.
10. Special Payment and Delivery
Instructions. If any of the following conditions
holds:
a. check(s) for the Purchase Price of any shares
purchased pursuant to the tender offer are to be issued to a
person other than the person(s) signing this letter of
transmittal; or
b. check(s) for the Purchase Price are to be sent to
any person other than the person signing this letter of
transmittal, or to the person signing this letter of
transmittal, but at a different address; or
c. certificates for any shares not tendered, or
tendered but not purchased, are to be returned to and in the
name of a person other than the person(s) signing this letter of
transmittal, then, in each such case, you must complete the
boxes captioned Special Payment Instructions
and/or
Special Delivery Instructions as applicable in this
letter of transmittal and make sure that the signatures herein
are guaranteed as described in Instructions 1 and 8.
11. Conditional Tenders. As
described in Sections 1 and 6 of the offer to purchase,
stockholders may condition their tenders on Expedia purchasing
all of their shares, or specify a minimum number of shares that
Expedia must purchase for the tender of any of their shares to
be effective. If you wish to make a conditional tender you must
indicate this choice in the box entitled Conditional
Tender in this letter of transmittal or, if applicable,
the notice of guaranteed delivery; and you must calculate and
appropriately indicate, in the space provided, the minimum
number of shares that Expedia must purchase if Expedia purchases
any shares.
As discussed in Sections 1 and 6 of the offer to purchase,
proration may affect whether Expedia accepts conditional
tenders. Proration may result in all of the shares tendered
pursuant to a conditional tender being deemed to have been
withdrawn, if Expedia could not purchase the minimum number of
shares required to be purchased by the tendering stockholder due
to proration. If, because of proration, Expedia will not
purchase the minimum number of shares that you designate,
Expedia may accept conditional tenders by random lot, if
necessary. However, to be eligible for purchase by random lot,
you must have tendered all of your shares and must have checked
the box so indicating. Upon selection by random lot, if any,
Expedia will limit its purchase in each case to the designated
minimum number of shares.
If you are an odd lot holder and you tender all of
your shares, you cannot conditionally tender, since your shares
will not be subject to proration.
All tendered shares will be deemed unconditionally tendered
unless the Conditional Tender box is checked and
appropriately completed. When deciding whether to tender shares
conditionally, we urge each stockholder to consult his or her
own tax advisor.
12. Tax Identification Number and Backup
Withholding. Under the federal income tax laws,
the depositary will be required to withhold 28% of the amount of
any payments made to certain stockholders pursuant to the tender
offer. In order to avoid such backup withholding, each tendering
stockholder that is a U.S. person (including a
U.S. resident alien) must provide the depositary with such
stockholders correct taxpayer identification number by
completing the Substitute
Form W-9
set forth below.
In general, if a stockholder is an individual, the taxpayer
identification number is the social security number of such
individual. If the depositary is not provided with the correct
taxpayer identification number, the stockholder may be subject
to a $50 penalty imposed by the Internal Revenue Service and
payments that are made to such stockholder pursuant to the
tender offer may be subject to backup withholding. Certain
stockholders (including, among others, all corporations and
certain foreign individuals) are not subject to these backup
withholding and reporting requirements. In order to satisfy the
depositary that a foreign individual qualifies as an exempt
recipient, such stockholder must submit an IRS
Form W-8,
signed under penalties of perjury, attesting to that
individuals exempt status. You can obtain such statements
from the depositary.
For further information concerning backup withholding and
instructions for completing the Substitute
Form W-9
(including how to obtain a taxpayer identification number if you
do not have one and how to complete the Substitute
Form W-9
if shares are held in more than one name), consult the enclosed
Guidelines for Certification of Taxpayer Identification Number
on Substitute
Form W-9.
Failure to complete the Substitute
Form W-9
will not, by itself, cause shares to be deemed invalidly
tendered, but may require the depositary to withhold 28% of the
amount of any payments made pursuant to the tender offer. Backup
withholding is not an additional federal income tax. Rather, the
federal income tax liability of a person subject to backup
withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If
withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, the taxpayer may
obtain a refund, provided that the required information is
furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.
NOTE: FAILURE TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THE SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
MAY RESULT IN BACKUP WITHHOLDING OF 28% OF ANY PAYMENTS MADE TO
YOU PURSUANT TO THE TENDER OFFER. PLEASE REVIEW THE ENCLOSED
GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
ON SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
Unless Expedia determines that a reduced rate of withholding is
applicable pursuant to a tax treaty or that an exemption from
withholding is applicable because gross proceeds paid pursuant
to the tender offer are effectively connected with the conduct
of a trade or business within the United States, Expedia will be
required to withhold federal income tax at a rate of 30% from
such gross proceeds paid to a foreign stockholder or his agent.
For this purpose, a foreign stockholder is any stockholder that
is not (i) a citizen or resident of the United States,
(ii) a corporation, partnership or other entity created or
organized in or under the laws of the United States,
(iii) a trust whose administration is subject to the
primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or
more U.S. persons who have the authority to make all
substantial decisions, or (iv) an estate the income of
which is subject to United States federal income taxation
regardless of its source. A foreign stockholder may be eligible
to file for a refund of such tax or a portion of such tax if
such stockholder meets the complete redemption,
substantially disproportionate or not
essentially equivalent to a dividend tests described in
the offer to purchase under the caption The Tender
Offer 14. U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences or if such stockholder is entitled to a
reduced rate of withholding pursuant to a treaty and Expedia
withheld at a higher rate.
In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding under a tax
treaty, a foreign stockholder must deliver to the depositary,
before the payment, a properly completed and executed statement
claiming such an exemption or reduction. A stockholder can
obtain such statements from the depositary. In order to claim an
exemption from withholding on the grounds that gross proceeds
paid pursuant to the tender offer are effectively connected with
the conduct of a trade or business within the United States, a
foreign stockholder must deliver to the depositary a properly
executed statement claiming exemption. A stockholder can obtain
such statements from the depositary. We urge foreign
stockholders to consult their own tax advisors regarding the
application of federal income tax withholding, including
eligibility for a withholding tax reduction or exemption and the
refund procedure.
13. Irregularities. Expedia will
determine in its sole discretion all questions as to the
Purchase Price, the number of shares to accept, and the
validity, eligibility (including time of receipt), and
acceptance for payment of any tender of shares. Any such
determinations will be final and binding on all parties. Expedia
reserves the absolute right to reject any or all tenders of
shares it determines not be in proper form or the acceptance of
which or payment for which may, in the opinion of Expedia, be
unlawful. Expedia also reserves the absolute right to waive any
of the conditions of the tender offer and any defect or
irregularity in the tender of any particular shares, and
Expedias interpretation of the terms of the tender offer,
including these instructions, will be final and binding on all
parties. No tender of shares will be deemed to be properly made
until all defects and irregularities have been cured or waived.
Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with
tenders must be cured within such time as Expedia shall
determine. None of Expedia, the depositary, the information
agent (as defined in the offer to purchase) or any other person
is or will be obligated to give notice of any defects or
irregularities in tenders and none of them will incur any
liability for failure to give any such notice.
14. Questions; Requests for Assistance and
Additional Copies. Please direct any questions or
requests for assistance or for additional copies of the offer to
purchase, the letter of transmittal or the notice of guaranteed
delivery to the information agent at the telephone number and
address set forth below. You may also contact your broker,
dealer, commercial bank or trust company for assistance
concerning the tender offer.
15. Stock Option Plans. If you hold
vested options in Expedias stock option plans, then you
may exercise such vested options by paying the cash exercise
price and receiving shares which you may then tender in
accordance with the terms of the tender offer.
16. Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Mutilated
Certificates. If any certificate representing any
shares has been lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated, you should
notify The Bank of New York , the transfer agent for the shares,
by calling
1-800-507-9357
and asking for instructions on obtaining replacement
certificate(s) at the address specified on the cover of this
letter of transmittal. The Bank of New York will require you to
complete an affidavit of loss and return it to The Bank of New
York. You will then be instructed by The Bank of New York as to
the steps you must take in order to replace the certificate. You
may be required to post a bond to secure against the risk that
the original certificate may be subsequently recirculated.
We cannot process this letter of transmittal and related
documents until you have followed the procedures for replacing
lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated certificates. We urge you
to contact the transfer agent, The Bank of New York,
immediately, in order to receive further instructions, for a
determination as to whether you will need to post a bond, and to
permit timely processing of this documentation.
Important: The depositary must receive this letter of
transmittal (together with certificate(s) for shares or
confirmation of book-entry transfer and all other required
documents) or, if applicable, the notice of guaranteed delivery,
before the expiration date.
YOU MUST COMPLETE AND SIGN THE SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
BELOW. Please provide your social security number or other
taxpayer identification number (TIN) and certify
that you are not subject to backup withholding.
SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service
Payers Request for TIN and Certification
Name:
Please check the appropriate box indicating your status:
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| o Individual/Sole
proprietor
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o Corporation
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o Partnership
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o Other
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o Exempt
from backup withholding
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Address (number, street, and apt. or suite no.)
City, State, and ZIP code
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Part I
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Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)
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PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR TIN ON THE
APPROPRIATE LINE AT THE
RIGHT. For most
individuals, this is your social security number. If you do not
have a number, see the enclosed Guidelines for Certification of
Taxpayer Identification Number on Substitute
Form W-9.
If you are awaiting a TIN, write Applied For in this
Part I, complete the Certificate Of Awaiting Taxpayer
Identification Number below.
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Social Security Number
OR
Employer Identification Number
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Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:
(1) The number shown on this form is my correct Taxpayer
Identification Number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued
to me), and
(2) I am not subject to backup withholding because
(a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have
not been notified by the IRS that I am subject to backup
withholding as a result of a failure to report all interest or
dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no
longer subject to backup withholding, and
(3) I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident
alien).
Certification Instructions You must cross out
item (2) above if you have been notified by the IRS that
you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have
failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return.
The IRS does not require your consent to any provision of this
document other than the certifications required to avoid backup
withholding.
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Sign
Here
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Signature of
U.S. person
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Date
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NOTE: FAILURE TO COMPLETE AND RETURN THE SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
MAY RESULT IN BACKUP WITHHOLDING OF 28% OF ANY PAYMENTS MADE TO
YOU ON ACCOUNT OF THE TENDER OFFER. PLEASE REVIEW THE ENCLOSED
GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
ON SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.
COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING CERTIFICATION IF YOU WROTE
APPLIED FOR
INSTEAD OF A TIN ON THE SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9.
CERTIFICATE OF AWAITING TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
I certify under penalties of perjury that a taxpayer
identification number has not been issued to me, and either
(a) I have mailed or delivered an application to receive a
TIN to the appropriate Internal Revenue Service Center or Social
Security Administration Office or (b) I intend to mail or
deliver an application in the near future. I understand that if
I do not provide a TIN by the time of payment, 28% of all
reportable payments made to me will be withheld.
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Sign
Here
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Signature of
U.S. person
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Date
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GUIDELINES
FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
Guidelines for Determining the Proper Identification Number
for the Payee (You) to Give the Payer Social
Security numbers have nine digits separated by two hyphens:
i.e.,
000-00-0000.
Employer identification numbers have nine digits separated by
only one hyphen: i.e.,
00-0000000.
The table below will help determine the number to give the
payer. All Section references are to the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. IRS is the
Internal Revenue Service.
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Give the name and
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social security
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For this type of account:
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number of
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1.
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Individual
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The individual
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2.
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Two or more individuals (joint
account)
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The actual owner of the account or,
if combined funds, the first individual on the account(1)
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3.
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Custodian account of a minor
(Uniform Gift to Minors Act)
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The minor(2)
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4.
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a. The usual revocable
savings trust (grantor is also trustee)
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The grantor-trustee(1)
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b. So-called trust account
that is not a legal or valid trust under state law
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The actual owner(1)
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5.
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Sole proprietorship or single-owner
LLC
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The owner(3)
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6.
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Sole proprietorship or
single-member LLC
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The owner(3)
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Give the name
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For this type of account:
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and employer identification number of
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7.
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A valid trust, estate, or pension
trust
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The legal entity(4)
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8.
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Corporate or LLC electing corporate
status on Form 8832
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The corporation
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9.
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Association, club, religious,
charitable, educational, or other tax-exempt organization
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The organization
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10.
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Partnership or multi-member LLC
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The partnership
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11.
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A broker or registered nominee
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The broker or nominee
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12.
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Account with the Department of
Agriculture in the name of a public entity (such as a state or
local government, school district, or prison) that receives
agricultural program payments
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The public entity
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(1)
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List first and circle the name of
the person whose number you furnish. If only one person on a
joint account has a social security number, that persons
number must be furnished.
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(2)
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Circle the minors name and
furnish the minors social security number.
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(3)
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You must show your individual name,
but you may also enter your business or doing business
as name. You may use either your social security number or
your employer identification number (if you have one).
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(4)
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List first and circle the name of
the legal trust, estate, or pension trust. (Do not furnish the
taxpayer identification number of the personal representative or
trustee unless the legal entity itself is not designated in the
account title.)
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NOTE: If no name is circled when there is more
than one name listed, the number will be considered to be that
of the first name listed.
GUIDELINES
FOR CERTIFICATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION
NUMBER ON SUBSTITUTE
FORM W-9
Obtaining
a Number
If you do not have a taxpayer identification number, apply for
one immediately. To apply for a SSN, get
Form SS-5,
Application for a Social Security Card, from your local Social
Security Administration office. Get
Form W-7,
Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,
to apply for a TIN, or
Form SS-4,
Application for Employer Identification Number, to apply for an
EIN. You can get
Forms W-7
and SS-4
from the IRS by calling 1
(800) TAX-FORM,
or from the IRS Web Site at www.irs.gov.
Payees
Exempt From Backup Withholding
Payees specifically exempted from backup withholding
include:
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1.
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An organization exempt from tax under Section 501(a), an
individual retirement account (IRA), or a custodial account
under Section 403(b)(7) if the account satisfies the
requirements of Section 401(f)(2).
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2.
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The United States or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.
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3.
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A state, the District of Columbia, a possession of the United
States, or any of their political subdivisions or
instrumentalities.
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4.
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A foreign government or any of its political subdivisions,
agencies or instrumentalities.
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5.
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An international organization or any of its agencies or
instrumentalities.
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Payees that may be exempt from backup withholding include:
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6.
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A corporation.
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7.
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A foreign central bank of issue.
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8.
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A dealer in securities or commodities required to register in
the United States, the District of Columbia, or a possession of
the United States.
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9.
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A futures commission merchant registered with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission.
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10.
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A real estate investment trust.
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11.
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An entity registered at all times during the tax year under the
Investment Company Act of 1940.
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12.
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A common trust fund operated by a bank under Section 584(a).
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13.
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A financial institution.
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14.
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A middleman known in the investment community as a nominee or
custodian.
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15.
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A trust exempt from tax under Section 664 or described in
Section 4947.
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The chart below shows types of payments that may be exempt from
backup withholding. The chart applies to the exempt recipients
listed above, 1 through 15.
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If the payment is for...
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THEN the payment is exempt for...
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Interest and dividend payments
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All exempt recipients except for 9
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Broker transactions
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Exempt recipients 1 through 13. Also, a person
registered under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 who regularly acts as a broker
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Exempt payees should complete a substitute
Form W-9
to avoid possible erroneous backup
withholding. Furnish your taxpayer
identification number, check the appropriate box for your
status, check the Exempt from backup withholding
box, sign and date the form and return it to the payer. Foreign
payees who are not subject to backup withholding should complete
an appropriate
Form W-8
and return it to the payer.
Privacy Act Notice. Section 6109 requires
you to provide your correct taxpayer identification number to
payers who must file information returns with the IRS to report
interest, dividends, and certain other income paid to you to the
IRS. The IRS uses the numbers for identification purposes and to
help verify the accuracy of your return and may also provide
this information to various government agencies for tax
enforcement or litigation purposes and to cities, states, and
the District of Columbia to carry out their tax laws, and may
also disclose this information to other countries under a tax
treaty, or to Federal and state agencies to enforce Federal
nontax criminal laws and to combat terrorism. Payers must be
given the numbers whether or not recipients are required to file
tax returns. Payers must generally withhold 28% of taxable
interest, dividend, and certain other payments to a payee who
does not furnish a taxpayer identification number to a payer.
Certain penalties may also apply.
Penalties
(1) Failure to Furnish Taxpayer Identification
Number. If you fail to furnish your correct
taxpayer identification number to a payer, you are subject to a
penalty of $50 for each such failure unless your failure is due
to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
(2) Civil Penalty for False Information with Respect to
Withholding. If you make a false statement with
no reasonable basis that results in no backup withholding, you
are subject to a $500 penalty.
(3) Criminal Penalty for Falsifying
Information. Willfully falsifying certifications
or affirmations may subject you to criminal penalties including
fines and/or
imprisonment.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT YOUR TAX CONSULTANT OR THE
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.
The letter of transmittal and certificates for shares and any
other required documents should be sent or delivered by each
tendering stockholder or its broker, dealer, commercial bank,
trust company or other nominee to the depositary at one of its
addresses set forth above.
Any questions or requests for assistance or for additional
copies of the offer to purchase, the letter of transmittal or
the notice of guaranteed delivery may be directed to the
information agent at the telephone number and address set forth
below. You may also contact MacKenzie Partners, Inc. or your
broker, dealer, commercial bank or trust company for assistance
concerning the tender offer. To confirm delivery of your shares,
please contact the depositary.
The information agent for the tender offer is:
105 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10016
(212) 929-5500
(call collect)
E-mail:
proxy@mackenziepartners.com
or
Call Toll Free
(800) 322-2885