CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Aug. 17, 2009) - ALL AMOUNTS ARE STATED IN U.S.$
Agrium Inc. (TSX:AGU)(NYSE:AGU) today announced that it has extended the expiration date of its offer to acquire CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) for $40.00 in cash plus one Agrium share per CF share until 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on September 22, 2009.
Agrium President and CEO Mike Wilson said, "Agrium remains fully committed to acquiring CF, and as we have previously stated, we strongly believe that combining Agrium and CF will create a terrific company and significant value for stockholders. Despite the fact that CF continues to ignore a clear mandate to conclude a transaction, we will continue to press CF to execute a mutually beneficial merger agreement. Our offer remains far superior to any alternative articulated by CF, including remaining independent or paying a premium for Terra."
Agrium's offer is not subject to a financing condition. Agrium has sufficient cash resources and committed financing underwritten by Royal Bank of Canada and The Bank of Nova Scotia to fund the cash portion of the offer.
As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on August 14, 2009, approximately 10.5 million shares of common stock of CF Industries had been tendered into and not withdrawn from the exchange offer.
Additional Information
RBC Capital Markets, Goldman, Sachs & Co., and Scotia Capital are acting as financial advisors; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP as legal counsel; and Georgeson Inc. as information agent in connection with Agrium's offer.
Stockholder questions regarding the exchange offer or requests for offering materials should be directed to Agrium's information agent for the exchange offer, Georgeson Inc., toll-free at (866) 318-0506. Offering materials are also available on the SEC's web site at www.sec.gov. CF stockholders are urged to read the offering materials filed by Agrium, which contain important information about the offer. For further information regarding Agrium's offer for CF, please visit www.agrium.com.
About Agrium
Agrium Inc. is a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in both North and South America and a leading global producer and marketer of agricultural nutrients and industrial products. Agrium produces and markets three primary groups of nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate and potash as well as controlled release fertilizers and micronutrients. Agrium's strategy is to grow through incremental expansion of its existing operations and acquisitions as well as the development, commercialization and marketing of new products and international opportunities. Contact us at: www.agrium.com.
Important Information
This press release does not constitute an offer to exchange, or a solicitation of an offer to exchange, common stock of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. ("CF"), nor is it a substitute for the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule TO or the Prospectus/Offer to Exchange included in the Registration Statement on Form F-4 (including the Letter of Transmittal and related documents) (collectively, as amended from time to time, the "Exchange Offer Documents") filed by Agrium Inc. ("Agrium") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 16, 2009, as amended. The Registration Statement on Form F-4 has not yet become effective. The offer to exchange is made only through the Exchange Offer Documents.
