Published:
Applebee's Stockholders Approve Acquisition by IHOP Corp.
Combination Will Bring Together Two Leading Restaurant Brands and Create Significant Opportunities to Generate Stockholder Value

IHOP Corp. (NYSE: IHP) confirmed today that
the stockholders of Applebee's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: APPB) have
voted to approve the merger agreement between IHOP Corp. ("IHOP") and
Applebee's International, Inc. ("Applebee's") at a special meeting of
stockholders held today. Under the terms of the agreement, IHOP will
acquire Applebee's for $25.50 per share in cash, representing a total
transaction value of approximately $2.1 billion.
Shares voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement represented
more than 70 percent of the total issued and outstanding common shares.
"This is an exciting day for our Company and we are pleased that Applebee's
stockholders recognize the value of this transaction," said Julia Stewart,
IHOP Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, who will lead the management
team of the combined companies. "After a successful closing, we look
forward to applying the focus and discipline that we have employed at IHOP
to successfully restructure and re-energize the Applebee's brand. By
working in collaboration with the Applebee's associates and franchisees, we
believe that the brand can again achieve the success it enjoyed in the
past."
The transaction is expected to close by November 29, 2007, subject to
satisfaction or waiver of additional customary closing conditions set forth
in the merger agreement. Following the closing, Applebee's will operate as
a wholly owned subsidiary of IHOP Corp.
About IHOP Corp.
The IHOP family restaurant chain has been serving a wide variety of
breakfast, lunch and dinner selections for nearly 50 years. Offering 14
types of pancakes as well as omelettes, breakfast specialties, burgers,
sandwiches, salads, chicken and steaks, IHOP's diverse menu appeals to
people of all ages. IHOP restaurants are franchised and operated by
Glendale, California-based IHOP Corp. As of September 30, 2007, the end of
IHOP's third quarter, there were 1,328 IHOP restaurants in 49 states,
Canada, Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. IHOP Corp. common stock is
listed and traded on the NYSE under the symbol "IHP." For more
information, call the Company's headquarters at (818) 240-6055 or visit the
Company's Web site located at www.ihop.com.
About Applebee's
Applebee's International, Inc., headquartered in Overland Park, Kan.,
develops, franchises and operates restaurants under the Applebee's
Neighborhood Grill & Bar brand, the largest casual dining concept in the
world. As of October 28, 2007, there were 1,955 Applebee's restaurants
operating system-wide in 49 states, 17 international countries, and one
U.S. territory, of which 510 were company-owned. Additional information on
Applebee's International can be found at the company's website
(www.applebees.com).
Forward-Looking Statements
There are forward-looking statements contained in this news release. They
use such words as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "plan," or other
similar terminology, and include statements regarding the timing and
certainty of closing IHOP's pending acquisition of Applebee's, strategic
and financial benefits of the acquisition, expectations regarding
accretion, integration and cost savings, and other financial guidance.
These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other
factors, which may cause the actual results to be materially different than
those expressed or implied in such statements. These factors include, but
are not limited to: the implementation of IHOP's strategic growth plan; the
availability of suitable locations and terms for the sites designated for
development; the ability of franchise developers to fulfill their
commitments to build new restaurants in the numbers and time frames covered
by their development agreements; legislation and government regulation
including the ability to obtain satisfactory regulatory approvals;
uncertainty as to whether the acquisition will be completed; the failure of
either party to meet the closing conditions set forth in the merger
agreement; IHOP's failure to obtain financing for the acquisition on
satisfactory terms or at all; risks associated with successfully
integrating IHOP and Applebee's; risks associated with executing IHOP's
strategic plan for Applebee's; risks associated with IHOP's incurrence of
significant indebtedness to finance the acquisition; the failure to realize
the synergies and other perceived advantages resulting from the
acquisition; costs and potential litigation associated with the
acquisition; the ability to retain key personnel both before and after the
acquisition; conditions beyond IHOP's control such as weather, natural
disasters, disease outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics impacting IHOP's
customers or food supplies or acts of war or terrorism; availability and
cost of materials and labor; cost and availability of capital; competition;
continuing acceptance of the IHOP, International House of Pancakes and
Applebee's brands and concepts by guests and franchisees; IHOP's and
Applebee's overall marketing, operational and financial performance;
economic and political conditions; adoption of new, or changes in,
accounting policies and practices; and other factors discussed from time to
time in IHOP's and Applebee's news releases, public statements and/or
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially the "Risk
Factors" sections of IHOP's and Applebee's Annual and Quarterly Reports on
Forms 10-K and 10-Q. Forward-looking information is provided by IHOP Corp.
pursuant to the safe harbor established under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and should be evaluated in the context of
these factors. In addition, IHOP disclaims any intent or obligation to
update these forward-looking statements.
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