Filed by ITC Holdings Corp. Pursuant to Rule 425 under the

Securities Act of 1933 and deemed filed pursuant

to Rule 14a-12 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Subject Company: ITC Holdings Corp.

Commission File No. 001-32576

 

 

ITC Holdings Schedules Special Shareholder Meeting in Connection with Entergy Transaction

 

NOVI, Mich., February 26, 2013, ITC Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ITC) has scheduled a special meeting of shareholders to consider and vote upon certain matters in connection with its previously announced transaction under which the transmission business of Entergy Corporation (“Entergy”) will be merged into ITC.  The special meeting will be held on April 16, 2013 at 9 a.m. Eastern at ITC’s corporate headquarters located at 27175 Energy Way in Novi, Michigan.

 

ITC shareholders of record as of the close of business February 26, 2013 will be entitled to vote at the special meeting.  ITC’s board of directors has recommended approval of the merger and the related proposals to its shareholders.

 

ITC previously announced the merger with Entergy’s transmission business on December 5, 2011 and is pursuing the required approvals, along with Entergy, for the transaction.  To date, ITC and Entergy, either jointly or individually, as appropriate, have made all of the regulatory filings necessary for approval of the transaction which is targeted to close during 2013.  If the merger is completed, Entergy’s transmission business will become a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC and will result in ITC becoming one of the nation’s largest transmission-owning utilities, with a network spanning from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast.

 

About ITC Holdings Corp.

ITC Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ITC) is the nation’s largest independent electric transmission company. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, lower the overall cost of delivered energy and allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems. ITC’s regulated operating subsidiaries include ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains. Through these subsidiaries, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, serving a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along 15,000 circuit miles of transmission line. Through ITC Grid Development and its subsidiaries, the company also focuses on expansion in areas where significant transmission system improvements are needed. For more information, please visit ITC’s website at www.itc-holdings.com.

 

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains certain statements that describe ITC management’s beliefs concerning future business conditions and prospects, growth opportunities and the outlook for ITC’s business, including ITC’s business and the electric transmission industry based upon information currently available. Such statements are “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Wherever possible, ITC has identified these forward-looking statements by words such as “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “expects”, “projects” and similar phrases. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions ITC management believes are reasonable. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause ITC’s actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements, including, among other things, (a) the risks and uncertainties disclosed in ITC’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any

 

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subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) from time to time and (b) the following transactional factors (in addition to others described elsewhere in this document, in the proxy statement/prospectus included in the registration statement on Form S-4 that was filed by ITC with the SEC in connection with the proposed transactions): (i) risks inherent in the contemplated transaction, including: (A) failure to obtain approval by the Company’s shareholders; (B) failure to obtain regulatory approvals necessary to consummate the transaction or to obtain regulatory approvals on favorable terms; (C) the ability to obtain the required financings; (D) delays in consummating the transaction or the failure to consummate the transactions; and (E) exceeding the expected costs of the transactions; (ii) legislative and regulatory actions, and (iii) conditions of the capital markets during the periods covered by the forward-looking statements.

 

Because ITC’s forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that are subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, many of which are beyond ITC’s control or are subject to change, actual results could be materially different and any or all of ITC’s forward-looking statements may turn out to be wrong. They speak only as of the date made and can be affected by assumptions ITC might make or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Many factors mentioned in this document and the exhibits hereto and in ITC’s annual and quarterly reports will be important in determining future results. Consequently, ITC cannot assure you that ITC’s expectations or forecasts expressed in such forward-looking statements will be achieved. Actual future results may vary materially.  Except as required by law, ITC undertakes no obligation to publicly update any of ITC’s forward-looking or other statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

The transaction is subject to certain conditions precedent, including regulatory approvals, approval of ITC’s shareholders and the availability of financing. ITC cannot provide any assurance that the proposed transactions related thereto will be completed, nor can it give assurances as to the terms on which such transactions will be consummated.

 

Additional Information and Where to Find It

ITC filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-184073) with the SEC registering the offer and sale of shares of ITC common stock to be issued to Entergy shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions. This registration statement includes a proxy statement of ITC that also constitutes a prospectus of ITC. This registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on February 25, 2013. ITC will mail the proxy statement/prospectus to its shareholders on or about February 28, 2013.  ITC shareholders are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus included in the ITC registration statement and any other relevant documents because they contain important information about Mid South TransCo LLC (“TransCo”) and the proposed transactions.  In addition, TransCo will file a registration statement with the SEC registering the offer and sale of TransCo common units to be issued to Entergy shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions. Entergy shareholders are urged to read the proxy statement/prospectus included in the ITC registration statement and the prospectus to be included in the TransCo registration statement (when available) and any other relevant documents, because they contain important information about ITC, TransCo and the proposed transactions. The proxy statement/prospectus, prospectus and other documents relating to the proposed transactions (when they are available) can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The documents, when available, can also be obtained free of charge from Entergy upon written request to Entergy Corporation, Investor Relations, P.O. Box 61000 New Orleans, LA 70161 or by calling Entergy’s Investor Relations information line at 1-888- ENTERGY (368-3749), or from ITC upon written request to ITC Holdings Corp., Investor Relations, 27175 Energy Way, Novi, MI 48377 or by calling 248-946-3000.

 

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Participants in this Transaction

This communication is not a solicitation of a proxy from any security holder of ITC. However, Entergy, ITC and certain of their respective directors and executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of ITC in connection with the proposed transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of Entergy, may be found in its 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2012, and its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on March 23, 2012.  Information about the directors and executive officers of ITC may be found in its 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 22, 2012, and its definitive proxy statement relating to its 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the SEC on April 12, 2012.

 

Investor/Analyst contact: Gretchen Holloway, 248-946-3595; gholloway@itctransco.com

Media contact: Robert Doetsch, 248-946-3493; rdoetsch@itctransco.com

 

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