Filed by: LVB Acquisition, Inc.
Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
Subject Company: LVB Acquisition, Inc.
Commission File No.: 333-198380
On April 14, 2015, Biomet, Inc. (“Biomet”) distributed the following letter to certain of Biomet’s customers regarding the proposed merger between Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (“Zimmer”) and Biomet:
Dear customer,
Today we would like to inform you that the European Commission (EC) has approved Lima Corporation as a suitable buyer of certain of the products Zimmer and Biomet will have to divest to be able to finalize their proposed merger. In order to obtain the EC’s approval, Zimmer has signed an agreement with Lima Corporation. Out of Biomet’s portfolio, Lima Corporation intends to purchase Biomet’s Discovery Elbow System in the European Economic Area and in Switzerland and the Vanguard Total Knee System in Sweden and Denmark.
The divestment of the mentioned products is conditioned on the closing of the proposed merger of Zimmer and Biomet. The proposed merger remains subject to clearance by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, as well as other customary closing conditions. Both Zimmer and Biomet remain committed to the planned transaction and look forward to an exciting future as Zimmer Biomet.
There is no immediate effect of this announcement on our relationship with you as a valued Biomet customer. The delivery of products and services will continue at the high standards which you have learned to expect. After the closing of the proposed merger, the combined company will work with Lima Corporation to maintain product supply and service levels. Additionally, the combined company will work with Lima Corporation to devote appropriate resources to this transition to ensure that it is implemented smoothly.
We highly value our relationship with you and we hope to continue this relationship as Zimmer Biomet in the future.
Renaat Vermeulen
President
Biomet EMEA
Additional Information about this Transaction
In connection with the proposed transaction, Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (“Zimmer”) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), and the SEC declared effective on September 29, 2014, a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a consent solicitation statement of LVB Acquisition, Inc. (“LVB”) that also constitutes a prospectus of Zimmer. We urge investors and security holders to read the consent solicitation statement/prospectus because it contains important information regarding the proposed merger. You may obtain a free copy of the consent solicitation statement/prospectus and other related documents filed by Zimmer and Biomet’s parent company, LVB, with the SEC at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These documents and other relevant materials, including any documents incorporated by reference therein, when and if filed, may also be obtained free of charge from Zimmer athttp://investor.zimmer.com or from Biomet athttp://www.biomet.com/corporate/investors/, as applicable. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
Forward Looking Statements
This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Those statements are often indicated by the use of words such as “will,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “plan” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward looking statements due to, among others, the following factors: the ability of the parties to complete the proposed merger; the parties ability to obtain regulatory approvals of the proposed merger on the contemplated terms and schedule; the impact of the announcement of, or failure to complete, the proposed merger on relationships with distributors, employees, customers and suppliers; potential or actual litigation; the success of LVB and its subsidiaries’ (together, the “Company”) principal product lines; the results of the ongoing investigation by the United States Department of Justice; the ability to successfully implement new technologies; the Company’s ability to sustain sales and earnings growth; the Company’s success in achieving timely approval or clearance of its products with domestic and foreign regulatory entities; the impact to the business as a result of compliance with federal, state and foreign governmental regulations and with the Deferred Prosecution Agreement; the impact to the business as a result of the economic downturn in both foreign and domestic markets; the impact of federal health care reform; the impact of anticipated changes in the musculoskeletal industry and the ability of the Company to react to and capitalize on those changes; the ability of the Company to successfully implement its desired organizational changes and cost-saving initiatives; the ability of the Company to successfully integrate acquisitions; the impact to the business as a result of the Company’s significant international operations, including, among others, with respect to foreign currency fluctuations and the success of the Company’s transition of certain manufacturing operations to China; the impact of the Company’s managerial changes; the ability of the Company’s customers to receive adequate levels of reimbursement from third-party payors;
the Company’s ability to maintain its existing intellectual property rights and obtain future intellectual property rights; the impact to the business as a result of cost containment efforts of group purchasing organizations; the Company’s ability to retain existing independent sales agents for its products; the impact of product liability litigation losses; and other factors set forth in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Although the Company believes that the assumptions on which the forward-looking statements contained herein are based are reasonable, any of those assumptions could prove to be inaccurate given the inherent uncertainties as to the occurrence or nonoccurrence of future events. There can be no assurance as to the accuracy of forward-looking statements contained in this document. The inclusion of a forward-looking statement herein should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that the Company’s objectives will be achieved. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date on which they were made.
