Prepared by R.R. Donnelley Financial -- Form 425
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
FILER: NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION
SUBJECT COMPANY: TRW, INC. (NO. 1-2384)
FILING: REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM S-4
(REGISTRATION NO. 333-83672)
Note: With respect to Northrop Grumman: Certain statements and assumptions in this press conference contain or are based on forward-looking information (that Northrop Grumman
believes to be within the definition in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) and involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking information includes, among other things, the statements above as to the impact of
the proposed acquisition on revenues and earnings. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Northrop Grummans control. These include completion of the merger, governmental regulatory
processes, Northrop Grummans ability to successfully integrate the operations of TRW, achieve a successful transaction or other resolution with respect to the TRW automotive sector, assumptions with respect to future revenues, expected program
performance and cash flows, the outcome of contingencies including litigation, environmental remediation, divestitures of businesses, and anticipated costs of capital investments. Northrop Grummans operations are subject to various additional
risks and uncertainties resulting from its position as a supplier, either directly or as subcontractor or team member, to the U.S. Government and its agencies as well as to foreign governments and agencies; actual outcomes are dependent upon
factors, including, without limitation, Northrop Grummans successful performance of internal plans; government customers budgetary restraints; customer changes in short-range and long-range plans; domestic and international competition
in both the defense and commercial areas; product performance; continued development and acceptance of new products; performance issues with key suppliers and subcontractors; government import and export policies; acquisition or termination of
government contracts; the outcome of political and legal processes; legal, financial, and governmental risks related to international transactions and global needs for military aircraft, military and civilian electronic systems and support,
information technology; naval vessels, space systems and related technologies, as well as other economic, political and technological risks and uncertainties and other risk factors set out in Northrop Grummans filings from time to time with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, Northrop Grumman reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q. In addition, there can be no assurance: regarding the completion of the merger or other transactions described, the receipt
of necessary government approvals, or the satisfaction of any other conditions to the merger.
Note: With respect to TRW: This transcript contains certain forward-looking statements that TRW believes are within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. However, TRW shareholders
should be aware that the preparation of any forward-looking statements requires the use of estimates of future revenues, expenses, activity levels and economic and market conditions, many of which are outside of TRWs control. Further,
TRWs results could be affected by the ability to obtain new contract awards; the level of defense funding by the government and determination of existing government contracts; pricing pressures from customers; moderation or decline in the
automobile build rate; changes in consumers debt levels; work stoppages; unanticipated downturn in the financial condition of, or business relationships with customers and suppliers; the ability to reduce the level of outstanding debt from cash flow
from operations and the proceeds from asset dispositions; a credit rating downgrade; increase in interest rates; customer recall and warranty claims; product liability and litigation issues; changes to the regulatory environment regarding automotive
safety; the introduction of competing products or technology by competitors; the ability to attract and retain skilled employees with high-level technical competencies; the financial results of companies in which we have made technology investments;
the ability of funding for research and development; economic, regulatory and political domestic and international conditions; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; and the impact of additional terrorist attacks, which could result in reduced
automotive production, disruptions to the transportation system, or significant and prolonged disruption to air travel. In addition, there can be no assurance: regarding the completion of the merger, the receipt of necessary government approvals, or
the completion of the sale of the aeronautical systems business. Other factors and assumptions not identified above are also involved in the preparation of forward-looking statements, and the failure of such factors and assumptions to be realized
may also cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. TRW
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assumes no obligation to update such estimates to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or
changes in other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law.
Northrop Grumman Corporation
filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-83672) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 4, 2002 with respect to its offer to exchange all outstanding shares of TRW capital stock for Northrop Grumman stock. The
Registration Statement will be amended shortly to include a joint proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed merger of Northrop Grumman and TRW Inc. pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 30, 2002, by and among
Northrop Grumman, Richmond Acquisition Corp. and TRW. The directors, certain executive officers and other employees and representatives of Northrop Grumman and TRW Inc. may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies for the
shareholders meeting relating to the proposed merger. Information concerning such potential TRW participants is contained in TRWs Definitive Proxy Statement relating to TRWs 2002 Annual Meeting filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A and
certain additional information concerning such potential TRW and Northrop Grumman participants will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed merger to be filed shortly. THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS
RELATING TO THE PROPOSED MERGER WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHICH SHAREHOLDERS OF NORTHROP GRUMMAN AND TRW ARE URGED TO READ BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISIONS REGARDING THE MERGER OR THE OTHER TRANSACTIONS DESCRIBED THEREIN. Copies of the joint
proxy statement/prospectus, and any amendments or supplements thereto, may be obtained without charge at the SECs internet website at www.sec.gov as they become available.
This transcript is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of TRW or Northrop Grumman stock. Northrop Grumman and TRW will file and
deliver all forms, proxy statements, notices and documents required under state and federal law with respect to the merger described in the press conference.
The following is a transcript of the press conference held on Monday, July 1, 2002.
ROSANNE OBRIEN, CORPORATE VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS, NORTHROP GRUMMAN: Well, welcome, everybody. I think well get
started.
Im Rosanne OBrien, Corporate Vice President of Communications at Northrop Grumman. Also with
me today are Frank Moore in person and Randy Belote by phone, who are part of my department. And Priscilla Luce is here, Head of Communications for TRW. So shell also be able to help with any questions.
This is being live. This conference is being also Webcast. And also, reporters will be able to call in by phone. I understand we
didnt have quite enough lines to the analyst conference. So hopefully, some of the investors will call in on this line.
Were going to have a few short remarks from Kent Kresa, Northrop Grummans Chairman and CEO and Phil Odeen, TRWs Chairman. Then well take questions. And well also be available for one-on-one following the
conference.
I guess this is a very exciting day for us. And now, it gives me great pleasure to introduce our
Chairman and CEO, Kent Kresa.
KENT KRESA, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, NORTHROP GRUMMAN: Well, thank you
very much, Rosanne, and good morning to all of you. And really, thanks for joining us on such short notice.
I
assume that youve all had an opportunity to read the press release we issued early this morning. And after my brief remarks, and Phils, well be glad to answer whatever (ph) questions you may have about the company or the
transaction.
Let me begin Yes?. Going (ph) to take the water (ph). Thats right. The press people
already asked me that before.
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Let me begin by saying that on behalf of our entire senior management team and
our board of directors, today is, indeed, a very exciting, in fact, historic day for Northrop Grumman.
As you saw
from todays announcement, Northrop Grumman and TRW have reached an agreement whereby Northrop Grumman will acquire all the outstanding shares of TRW for a value of $60 per share of Northrop Grumman stock in addition to offering full value for
the sharefor the shareholders of TRW and a future participation in the exciting prospects of the combined Northrop Grumman.
This merger enhances the competitive landscape in areas most critical to our nations future defense. This is a potent combination of superior technology and employee talent and one that will yield powerful solutions in response
to the challenges of 21st century national defense and homeland security.
At the same time, we are strengthening
competition in our industry. Theres no doubt in my mind that the combination of our two companies is in the best interest of the its shareholders, its employees and in the best interest of the government and for our national defense and for
homeland security.
Many of you have heard me say over the last several months that Northrop Grumman has a future,
a great future with or without TRW. This is clearly demonstrated by our recent contract wins across the board, including the DD(X), Deepwater and Joint Strike Fighter.
At the same time, I cannot convey strongly enough the excitement we feel over what Northrop Grumman and TRW can accomplish together in the future.
The acquisition of TRW adds an additional critical node (ph), space, to our robust platform and systems capabilities on the ground, at sea
and in the air. The future is just much more brighter for us and our new colleagues and fellow shareholders from TRW.
Weve talked about this transformation that was begun in the early 1990s. With every acquisition, this transformation has become more complete and more compelling. Weve aggressively pursued our strategic vision over the
last decade.
Our goal has been to put Northrop Grumman in the best possible position to capture the benefits of a
transformational and accelerated defense spending cycle. Our strategy has been on target and we believe is well timed.
TRWs space and information technology businesses will further enhance our position and participation in some of the fastest growing areas of the defense budget.
The final transaction price of $60 per share reflects our excellent impressions from nearly a month of due diligence, investigations and analysis from examining both the
corporate structure, their operations, the contracts, the benefits and the environmental issues.
As we have said
before, we plan to either sell or spin TRW Automotive. In either case, that business will be a well capitalized and very competitive business for its people and for shareholders and its customers.
Our pro forma base case, on which our analysis and estimates are based, assumes that we sell Automotive simultaneously with the
closewith the close of this transaction. The price also reflects the sale of the aeronautics business, which has already been negotiated between TRW and Goodrich and which is expected to close by the end of the fourth quarter.
Were confident that neither the Department of Defense nor the Department of Justice will have any significant antitrust
concerns, nor for that matter, should the EU. And we expect the acquisition to close by the end of this year.
Yes, today is a very exciting day for Northrop Grumman and TRW shareholders, our collective employees and clearly, for the military preparedness of the United States of America.
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And now, Id like to turn thisthe podium over to Phil Odeen, the CEO
of TRW, who would like to make a few comments on the transaction. Phil?
PHILIP ODEEN, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF
EXECUTIVE OFFICER, TRW: Thank you very much. And welcome. Its a great pleasure to be here with Kent and his colleagues, his team from Northrop Grumman.
Many of you have been speculating for at least four months now about this whole process and how it would turn out. Well, the speculation is over and the outcome, I think, is absolutely a terrific one
for our customers, our shareholders and the new combined businesses, the new Northrop Grumman.
It is, I think, in
every respect, a real achievement in terms of the benefits for our shareholders, our customers and our employees. Northrop Grumman is a great company. Once this merger is complete, TRW technologies, expertise and people will help create the
worlds second largest defense company focused on defense intelligence and related technology markets.
Over
the years, our companies have had a number of discussions concerning the benefits of combining the two strong companies. Weve long recognized the great potential such a merger would bring. And Im truly excited about the prospects. The
new Northrop Grumman will possess an even broader set of capabilities.
What TRW brings to the new company is
significant: communications from space, to the land battlefield, to emergency command centers; missile defense, including a range of laser weapons, space-based warning systems and battle management for the mid-course national defense system;
intelligence capabilities ranging from space-based systems to extensive data management and analysis capability.
And new customers in areas where they dont have a strong presence, such as the Missile Defense Agency, the Army and a number of non-defense federal agencies will strengthen them, as well.
Make no mistake. The merger is a culmination of the TRW boards unwavering commitment to shareholder value. But actions speak louder
than words. We had an aggressive program and weve done everything we said we would do.
We began the process
to separate our Automotive business from Space and Electronics. We reached an agreement to sell Aeronautical Systems. And today, we announced our merger with Northrop Grumman. And all of this was achieved while we were meeting or exceeding our
commitments with strong operating performance.
After careful consideration, our board unanimously came to the
decision that Northrop Grummans proposal clearly provides the best value for our shareholders.
Im
delighted with this transaction and pleased to be here with Kent for this really momentous event, which we think represents a real win for the shareholders, our customers and a new Northrop Grumman. Thank you very much.
KRESA: Well now be happy to answer your questions. Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: (INAUDIBLE) significant increase on your initial bid. How was that possible (ph) (INAUDIBLE)?
KRESA: Well, as I have saidwe said several months ago when we started this process that we wanted to do due diligence. We were prepared to pay more if we could
find the value that the TRW folks claimed was there. I can say with a very, very detailed evaluation that, indeed, that value is there.
And I might point out that the value in dollars obviously went up about 27 percent from our first offer. But the actual currency were using is Northrop Grummans stock price. And thats only up 10 percent. So
weve essentially moved 10 percent in cost in the lastsince our first offer.
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Anyway, were very happy. We believe the value is there. This is a great
company. Theyve got great assets and great people. And it willwell do very, very well in the future.
Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) outside (ph) that income from the AP, is the TRW name
going to disappear and when?
KRESA: The TRW name clearly is extremely important and has lots of currency and
value, particularly in the automotive industry. And I would believe that it willit will clearly stay as a major element in the automotive end (ph).
With respect to the military side, it will most likely not continue. Thats a decision we have to make. But its most likely we, as we have done in other acquisitions, we have used the
Northrop Grumman name as the principal element. But that will be decided in the near future. TRW will remain, however, because of its importance in the automotive industry.
Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Is there a
breakup fee?
KRESA: Yes, there is. Its $275 million.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: A very shy group here today, Kent.
KRESA: Shy group. I cant believe it. Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED
CALLER: Im wondering if you could talk a little bit more about your anticipated approval in the EU? No one thought that the GE/Honeywell deal was going to go down the tubes there. Looking back at that, was that significant in terms of your
preparation for evaluating whether you could get EU approval?
KRESA: TheI guess whatwe do not believe
this will be a problem. With respect to automotive, theres really no change with us acquiring the company. Theres no change there. So thats the major piece. With respect to the military pieces, theres really no particular
overlap between the two of us nor would there really be a concern, I believe (ph).
So the real issue is on the
automotive side. And again, theres no change with Northrop Grumman. Were not changing the landscape one wayin any way. Clearly, the acquisition by Goodrich of the Aeronautical Systems has an EU component, as well.
And maybe you can comment about that.
ODEEN: Yes. We haveon the Aeronautical Systems purchase by Goodrich, we feel very good about that, as well. ASG was really adding a range of new capabilities to the Goodrich portfolio.
So there was very, very little overlap. Its really a way for them to broadly extend their capabilities. And
so, theres no issue there. And we are very confident thatll get approved in due course.
UNIDENTIFIED
CALLER: Mr. Kresa, could you tell us what arrangements you have in place?
KRESA: Say that again, please.
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: If you could tell us what arrangements you have in place against potential asbestos
liabilities?
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KRESA: Arrangements we have against liabilitiesoh, asbestos. Im
sorry. I missed that. OK. Well, we did anthis was clearly a very important element that we were very concerned about. And it was a very important part of our due diligence.
We hired a literal army of advisors to come and help us in that due diligence. It was one of the important reasons that we insisted that ourany of our offers, any of
the offer that we made is subject to due diligence. And we wanted to have a detailed review.
The TRW board has
said all along, in all our filings, that they did not believe it was material. I can tell you that we and all of our advisors agree with that position. And so, were very comfortable with the materiality of whether or not the asbestos would be
a problem. And we do believe it is definitely not.
Further, let me state that with respect to Automotive, we are
spinning the Automotive off into a viable company from day one. And that company, obviously, will retain the Automotive element. So thatsbut we dont believe theres a problem there either.
And you may want to comment from a TRW perspective.
ODEEN: Yes. As weve said repeatedly, we do not think theres a material risk there. We have very limited numbers of suits (ph). The costs have been very low to
handle them. Weve spent, you know, like a max, I think one year, 150,000 total, including outside law help. And we have very good insurance coverage. So we feel very comfortable that its not material.
KRESA: Yes.
LESLIE GERSEN (ph), BLOOMBERG NEWS: Leslie Gersen (ph), Bloomberg News. Can you talk about potential layoffs from this agreement?
KRESA: Yes. I can say that with respect to the operating folks, we see no layoffs. In fact, we see a growing company and a growing need.
With respect to the corporate headquarters, we have announced that we would close that. So there is a layoff that will be occurring in the
Cleveland area. I dont know the details yet of that. I dont know the totalI forget the total number of people. But certainly thats an area where we will have layoffs.
We also are a growing company. We will be looking at those people. Theyre a great asset. And hopefully, we can find other places for them within the corporation.
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: (INAUDIBLE) on the point (ph) of your (ph) antitrust. Do you expect to (INAUDIBLE)
divestment (INAUDIBLE), et cetera?
KRESA: Yes. We dont believe so. We believe that there will be no need
for divestments of any assets within this company for the future. There could be some programs that we would have to change the structure of because of the relationships that we would have between things that Northrop Grumman does and TRW.
But theyre very small numbers. Its less than the number that we had at Litton with (ph) the Litton
acquisition. So we do not see this as a major issue at all.
KRESA: Yes.
CHRISTO (ph), FINANCIAL TIMES: Christo (ph), the Financial Times. Weve heard from TRW about their, sort of,
view of the automotive industry and how its changing and how it might affect the eventual spin (ph).
Id like to hear, perhaps Northrops view on that and also the difference between the simultaneous sell or spin (ph) at the close and their (ph) expected November spending.
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KRESA: I wouldI cant comment on TRWs view. Our view of it is
that the business is a very, very good business, excellent products, excellent people and a great future.
Its a business thats not strategically tied to where Northrop Grumman is or wishes to go and, therefore, its in the best interests of all that it should be separated.
Weour plan will be clearly similar to the TRW plan, which is to create a very viable, strong automotive company. It will be one of
the largest in the world, that can support its customers in a very strong way. And thats certainly part of our criteria.
So we see that exactly in the same way, that we have value. We assume that it has certain value. Since were in the process of either selling it or spinning it, I dont want to discuss that. Thats, sort of, an M&A
activity, if you want to think about that in that light.
So I wont talk about any of the details there
other than to say that we are convinced that this can bethis transaction can be completed sometime this year. Weve just put the date at the end of the year as weve shown all of our data assuming the end of the year. But we would
hopefully be able to even close earlier. And well be moving to close this as soon as we can.
UNIDENTIFIED
CALLER: Kent?
KRESA: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: Sticking with the auto business, how much of TRWs debt will go with the auto business when you spin or sell it off?
KRESA: That will bethe exact number will be determined depending on the particular arrangement that we will have. But I can say that it will be sufficient so that it
can beitll be a very strong company with good credit rating. And there was some pro forma numbers that TRW put together. Weve used that kind of number as the baseline. But it could be more.
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: (INAUDIBLE)?
KRESA: No. Again, its somethingyou have to look at this as M&A, (INAUDIBLE). And we dontwe dont talk about M&A. Its a little early. Its premature. And
werewell be dealing with several players in this game.
And weobviously, the principal
objectivethe objectives we have is number one, to ensure that its a very strong company going forward. The automotive is very strong going forward. Thats number one. Number two is to get the maximum return for our shareholders for
thatfor that element. And those twothose are the guiding principles.
CAROL ZIMMER (ph), BLOOMBERG
RADIO: Carol Zimmer (ph), Bloomberg Radio. This acquisition is occurring in an atmosphere of eroding investor confidence. Im wondering whether this has affected you in any way?
KRESA: Well, I wouldI would hope not. I think one of the nice things or that one of the good things about our industry is that we arein the defense business, we
are very closely tied to the government in terms of their own audit. Its probably even more than happens in most other industries.
We take our business very seriously. And I certainly can speak very much for Northrop Grumman that, you know, were appalled at all the things that have come out. And certainly, that is not any way part of the
philosophy of the way we run this company. I think you can say the same thing.
So its too bad its in
theits in the backdrop of that. But our principal interests are to create a very important company for the defense of the United States. We take that requirement and that focus very, very seriously. And we think that we arewe are a
very viable company with awith a great future.
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ODEEN: Let me just add a comment to that. As part of our process, because
were taking Northrop stock, we did a very thorough due diligence on Northrop Grumman. And our board was very insistent that we look at the numbers, we look at the contracts and we look at liabilities.
And we really went through it very, very thoroughly. We had 40 people in every conceivable area of expertise working that problem,
including our outside auditors. And we discussed that with the board yesterday. And I think everyone was very comfortable that there were no issues of that kind.
And, obviously, given the environment, the board wants to be absolutely convinced that there were no issues there. And we are extremely comfortable that there are no issues of that type. And I can
assure you, on our sides, there is nothing either. And they, of course, looked at us pretty hard, as well.
KRESA:
We looked hard too.
ZIMMER (ph)(?): As a follow up to that, Im wondering, in these times of antiterrorist
activities and heightened defense precautions, howif you can tell us specifically how that has affected your business?
KRESA: Well, it certainlywe are a community or an industry that certainly is going to be here to support the homeland security activities.
Lots of the technology that we have, from surveillance, from space through airplanes, all (ph) down to the ground and the tremendous databases and the manipulation of data and in the intelligence world
and so forth is what we do for the defense industry, what we do for our customer, which is mostly the intelligence communities and the Defense Department.
We see being able to turn this to homeland security in a very important way. And were certainly making these kinds of technologiesmaking people aware in the homeland security areas how this
can be used.
I wont speak any more of (ph) that. But we believe that this will be a growing business for
Northrop Grumman going forward.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: (INAUDIBLE), do you have anything?
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Well, let me just comment that aswhen you see our quarterly numbers,
youll see that we have strong growth in our systems-based electronics business. And we have veryexpect very strong growth in the second half, as well. And in part, that reflects additional work were getting because of the homeland
security area.
And so, we think its, again, very promising. And among our strength, the intelligence
community, I believe, will be a factor in that growth.
And thats something that well be bringing to
Northrop Grumman to really strengthen their already substantial capability there, as well as a range of other areas for homeland security.
So we believe theres a lot of value there and a lot of upside for our business and now obviously for the combined company.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Hear, hear (ph).
OBRIEN: I know we also have a lot of journalists on the phone. So, operator, do you want to start the questions?
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Is the operator there?
OBRIEN: The operator
was . . .
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OPERATOR: Can you hear me? Can you hear me? Hello.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Do we have an operator?
OBRIEN: Well, we did.
OPERATOR: Yes. Can you hear me?
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: I hear you.
OPERATOR: OK. Then our first question is from Matt Lakey (ph), of Sun Newspaper (ph).
MATT LAKEY (ph), SUN NEWSPAPER (ph): Kent, how soon will Northrop Grumman close the Cleveland headquarters?
KRESA: Well, Matt (ph), I dont really know. As soon as it makes the most sense. Wethere are obviously people there who are
very much involved in the pension issues and many of the corporate governance issues at TRW. We have to carefully deal with that.
And as we integrate the businesses together and were going to need those people to work that, were going to try to do all that as rapidly as we can. Obviously, itll be after closure.
We wont start any process prior to closure andother than planning. Well do some planning. And wed like to do that
as quickly as possible. But I am not in (ph) a position to say exactly when that will occur or how long.
LAKEY
(ph): Thank you.
OPERATOR: And our next question is from Frank Wolf (ph), of Defense Daily.
FRANK WOLF (ph), DEFENSE DAILY: Yes. Mr. Kresa, I just wanted to ask what you feel the overall effect
will be of assuming $4 billion in debt in terms of the combined companies finances?
KRESA: Well, thats
interesting. Because this is an all stock transaction, the debt-to-cap actually decreases dramatically for the new company, including adding that debt intoonto our balance sheet. We closed at a debt-to-cap of about 40 percent at the end of the
first quarter.
After this transaction, we think the number will be at the low side of our 30-percent minimum. It
may be below that. So weas far as the strength of the new company, its tremendous. Its greater than our company is today.
OPERATOR: Thank you. And our next question is from James Bernstein (ph).
JAMES BERNSTEIN (ph): Good morning, gentlemen. Mr. Kresa, I just want to ask you if this is the largest acquisition Northrop Grumman has made? You know, taking into account Litton and, you know, some of the others in terms of either
revenue or something like that, is this is the largest deal youve done?
KRESA: Yes, it is. The
largestthis is the largest deal we have done. And, you know, were reallywere really excited about it. It really fits.
BERNSTEIN (ph): Thank you.
OPERATOR: Thank you. And our next
question is from Phil ODonnell (ph). Mr. ODonnell (ph), your line is open.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY
REPRESENTATIVE: Phil (ph) must be in the news room.
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OPERATOR: Then (ph) I am showing no further questions.
Actually, we do have a question from Elliott Glacier (ph).
ELLIOTT GLACIER (ph): Hi. Hi, Kent. Congratulations on a success to a long, involved process. Could you give us some idea of what the Northrop Grumman annual pension
expense was before this deal and what the Northrop Grumman annual pension expense is going to be after this deal?
KRESA: I cantI dont have the numbers with me. Im sorry, Elliott (ph). I can say that weve been overfunded at Northrop Grumman for some time, including this year. But if the marketas the market has
been responding, that may not be the case for the future.
We are making a projection that we will have pension
expense going forward 175 million is the estimate. Well have an expense of 175 million a year going forward.
GLACIER (ph): Is that a material increase per share before and after?
KRESA: No. No. And
its built into our guidance.
GLACIER (ph): OK. And isnt the TRW plan over funded? And is there any
advantage to Northrop having this TRW plan over funded?
ODEEN: Yes. Theour UK plan was overfunded, which
iswas part of the auto business. So we dontwe did have pension income. We do have pension income. But we dontthat will not be the
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Future expense will be trivial, will not be a factor.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Right. And, of course, the UK pension will travel with both the automotive and the aeronautical piece. So it will not be part of the new Northrop Grumman Corporation.
GLACIER (ph): OK. And lastly, in terms of its affects on equity, shareholders equity, would there be a difference between
selling Automotive and spinning Automotive. And what would that difference be within certain ranges?
KRESA: Well,
theresthere is a range. Yes, there will be some differences. Theres differences in how it will affect the shareholder. But in terms of the economic value, weve given some ranges in what our economic earnings per share would
be, assuming a sale.
It would change somewhat if we were to do a spin. But again, if we do a spin, the value of
that entity is still there. So itso it should very much be the same but in a different currency.
Again,
were most interested in assuring that we get the best arrangement for our shareholders, the best value. And there are many ways of going forward and doing this. Were in aI think in a very positive situation that theres great
interest here.
So were going to be able to do this thing and were going to do it to maximize the
return with the realization that this is an important business for the future and the business will be a strong business going forward.
GLACIER (ph): Thank you.
OPERATOR: Thank you. And our next question is from Frank Wolf
(ph).
WOLF (ph): Yes. Mr. Odeen, just had a question. Just in terms ofyou know, TRW has always been a
fairly independent-minded company. And Im wondering if you see any kind of culturalyou know, corporate culture
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problems for integrating TRW into Northrop Grumman? And if you dont see such a problem,
whats the reason that there isnt a problem?
ODEEN: Frank (ph), I dont see any big issues. We
know them very well. We work with them. We team with them. We compete with them. Our people work together. They know one another. And our people feel very good about this.
And we haveI have spent, I can assure you, a lot of time with our people in the Systems, Space and Electronics business on this issue. And I believe they are and will
be very comfortable with their new home.
The fact that Ron Sugar is the President and Chief Operating Officer and
Ron, as you may know, actually ran that business, Systems, Space and Electronics, for about a year-and-a-half. Actually, I worked for Ron for a while.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Right.
ODEEN: All of our
senior people know him well. And theresI think that gives additional comfort to the fact that theyre both fine companies with high ethical standards, a real focus on customers. And I believe the transition will bewill go
smoothly.
WOLF (ph): OK. And, Mr. Kresa, what do you think in terms of just TRWs top program, from your
perspective? And, you know, (INAUDIBLE), for example, has had some issues in the past. Im wondering if you have any thoughts on ways of restructuring that so it doesnt come under fire from Congress and actually from the administration
from somefrom somein the future?
KRESA: Frank (ph), before I answer that, let me just tag on to
Phils statement . . .
WOLF (ph): OK.
KRESA: ...with respect to the integration. I believe the cultures of the two companies are very, very similar, really looking at excellence and being very excited about
developing next generation technologies and systems and so forth. Plusso I agree fully with all youve said and the fact that Rons going tois with us also makes it a net (ph) plus.
Further than that, you have to recognize that Northrop Grumman is a company that has grown and has, I think, been very successful in
integrating companies. We do that because we really treat people with respect. We welcome new people into the company.
I many times say that Northrop GrummanNorthropthe new Northrop Grumman is a company of immigrants. If you think about the company over the last decade from where we started, only about 10 percent of the people are
originally from the core company. Were from all various companies. And we think like immigrants.
So
were excited about the future. We honor our pasts. Were delighted in the histories and all the great things that each one of our companies has done independently.
But the only thing that matters is what we do together and where were going and how well we can do in the future with this company. That has been the hallmark of the
company to date.
And I think weve done very, very well in integrating all these various 15 companies and 15
cultures into Northrop Grumman. And I see that only being a positive with respect to bringing the great people of TRW into the fold.
Now, with respect to your second question, we dont really see any major problem areas. Youve talked about SBIRS Low (ph). Thats a new program thats developing.
Northrop Grumman is involved in that program, as well. It has its own growing pains as does all programs. And we need to continue
diligence on that, as well as all the other programs that are ongoing. But no, I dont see anything unique in the TRW structure that we have to pay extra attention to.
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WOLF (ph): OK.
OPERATOR: Thank you. And our next question is from Clifford Anthony (ph).
CLIFFORD ANTHONY (ph): Hi. This question is for Mr. Kresa. I just want to know what will happen to the property in Lyndhurst (ph) once the takeover (ph) is over and you close the office of Lyndhurst
(ph)?
ODEEN: Well, Ias Kent has said,we will be closing that headquarters in due course. Itll
take a while. Theres a lot to be done between now and closing. And even after closing, therell be a lot of things that require the expertise of the people there.
But we will be closing that headquarters. And well be looking, Im sure, planning over the next weeks and months as to what the best way to dispose of it.
Its a wonderful piece of property. But well be looking at that problem between now and closing. By that time, I suspect well have a pretty clear plan as to how to proceed.
ANTHONY (ph): Thank you.
OPERATOR:
And our next question is from Kiva Garren (ph). Kiva Garren (ph), your line is open.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY
REPRESENTATIVE: OK. Lets take a couplelets take a couple here. Yes.
ENRI (ph)(?): Phil, are you
sticking around until the deal closes or your whats your plan?
ODEEN: Yes. The question is am I sticking
around until the deal closes? Absolutely. Ill be here. And theres a lot to be done Enri (ph). And I can assure youI can assure my colleagues at TRW, Ill be there working with them to make sure we get this done, and done well,
and done expeditiously.
We also have a business to run, you may recall. Well be operating as an independent
company between now and sometime in the fourth quarter. And we want to continue to deliver great results, as weve done so far this year. So well beIll be kept very busy until that point in time. So Ill be there.
KRESA: Enri (ph), also say that with respect to all the TRW management that I dealt with during the due
diligence, they are all committed. They see this as a big plus. Theeven the separation of auto, the people there are excited about their futures and what it can mean for them.
I find nothing but great excitement as opposed to what sometimes you find in situations where companies are being sold. This isthis is an outfit that somehow came to
the conclusion this was the right thing to do. And, therefore, theyre just excited to get on with it. And I think theyrethe people are excited to be with Northrop Grumman as theas the new entity.
ODEEN: Let me add a little, kind of, personal comment on this. Many of you know Si (Simon) Ramo (ph), whos the R in TRW. Si (Simon)
(ph) is the greatest cheerleader for this combination of anybody Ive ever met. Hes been working both of us for years.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Years. OK. Years. OK.
ODEEN: And Si (Simon) (ph) is very
excited. In fact, I think Kent called Si (Simon) (ph) last night to tell him about the outcome. And I think it gets back to the culture issue, as well and, I guess in Frank Wolfs (ph) question. I think Si (ph) is convinced that this will be a
great combination. And I certainly agree.
UNIDENTIFIED CALLER: (INAUDIBLE), in the corporate (INAUDIBLE) at
Northrop, where you ever tempted to ask for cash and if not, why? And just another question for Mr. Kresa (ph). Are you willing to take a second look at your offer if theres a (INAUDIBLE) for anyone else?
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: You want to . . .
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UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Well, I think, you know, the boardwe
had a number of very interesting parties. We had a number of, I think, very good bids. The board made a very careful decision. And, as I said, they were unanimous that this wasthe board felt and I agree fully, was the best value for our
shareholders.
Were excited about beingwell be a major shareholder at Northrop Grumman. We think
the combined company is going to be a real powerhouse. And we see the future prospects for that stock as being outstanding. And so, I know I and Im sure my colleagues all are pleased to bewe will be Northrop Grumman shareholders. And we
think the sharesthe shares in their stock will be a great plus for us.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE:
To partially answer your question, as you heard, theres a breakup fee of $275 million in this deal if it was something else on the table. And beyond that, I wont comment.
OBRIEN: Well, I think (ph) I will (ph) thank all (INAUDIBLE) joining us today. We (INAUDIBLE) Northrop Grumman and TRW. And (INAUDIBLE). On the Webcast, we are
signing off now for the Webcast, as well.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE: Great.
END
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