Exhibit
99.1
|
Velocity
Express Signs Letter of Intent for Management
Buyout
|
WESTPORT,
Conn. June 23, 2009 -- Velocity Express Corporation (NASDAQ: VEXP), the nation's
largest provider of time definite regional delivery solutions, announced that it
has executed a conditional letter of intent to acquire control of the Company
from a management buyout group led by Mr. Vincent A. Wasik, Velocity’s Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, and backed by Mr. Wasik’s private equity firm MCG
Global, LLC.
The
holders of the Company’s Senior Notes required in March 2009, as a condition to
their consent to the new Burdale revolving credit facility, that the Company
initiate a process to attempt to sell the Company or all or substantially all of
its assets or Senior Notes. To satisfy its obligations under that
agreement, the Company appointed a special board committee of independent
directors. The Committee engaged the firm Scura, Rise & Partners
Securities, LLC to act as exclusive financial advisor to the Committee to assist
it in attempting to effectuate a Transaction. The Committee also
engaged independent legal counsel to assist in its work.
The
transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including financing,
definitive documentation, continued listing on Nasdaq, continuation of a senior
credit facility and the approval of the Noteholders and the Company's preferred
and common stockholders. There is no obligation on the part of the
Company to negotiate exclusively with the Management Buyout Group, but the Group
will be entitled to expense reimbursement, up to a maximum of $150,000, if
another transaction is accepted. The terms of the transaction, while
not final, will involve issuances of a substantial number of shares of common
stock of the Company, which will likely substantially dilute the value of the
currently outstanding shares. The letter of intent may be terminated
by either party if the Management Buyout Group has not received a binding
financing commitment and consent of those holding at least 67% of the Senior
Notes, and executed definitive documents, by July 10, 2009. Nasdaq
has given the Company until August 3, 2009 to come into compliance with its $2.5
million stockholders' equity requirement for continued listing.
About Velocity
Express
Velocity
Express has one of the largest time definite nationwide delivery networks,
providing a national footprint for customers desiring same day service
throughout the United States. The Company's services are supported by a
customer-focused technology infrastructure, providing customers with the
reliability and information they need to manage their transportation and
logistics systems, including a proprietary package tracking system that enables
customers to view the status of any package via a flexible web reporting
system.
Forward Looking
Statements
There can be no assurance that any
agreement will result from the letter of intent with the Management Buyout Group
nor whether any sale will be completed. Certain statements in
this press release, such as the
possibility of a transaction taking place, or the Company's ability to negotiate
satisfactory arrangements with its current lenders or for new
financing,
may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal
securities laws. Statements regarding future events and developments and the
Company's future performance that are not historical facts, as well as
management's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions and
projections about future events or future performance, are forward looking
statements within the meaning of these laws. Forward-looking statements include
statements that are preceded by, followed by, or include words such as
"believes," "expects," "anticipates," "plans," "estimates," "intends," or
similar expressions. These statements
are based on beliefs and assumptions of the Company's management, which in turn
are based on currently available information. These assumptions could
prove inaccurate.
Forward-looking
statements are also affected by known and unknown risks that may cause the
actual results of the Company to differ materially from any future results
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Many of these risks are
beyond the ability of the Company to control or predict. Such factors include,
but are not limited to the risks identified in the section entitled
"Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K as amended for the
year ended June 28, 2008. as well as in the quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and
the other documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Management believes that the forward-looking statements
contained in this release are reasonable; however, undue reliance should not be
placed on any forward-looking statements contained herein, which are based on
current expectations. Further, forward-looking statements speak only as of the
date they are made, and management undertakes no obligation to publicly update
any of them in light of new information or future events.
Contact:
Velocity
Express Corporation
Edward W.
(Ted) Stone, CFO
203-349-4199
tstone@velocityexp.com
or
Institutional
Marketing Services (IMS)
John G.
Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau
203-972-9200
jnesbett@institutionalms.com
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