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Filed by TLC Laser Eye Centers Inc..
Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933
Subject Company: Laser Vision Centers, Inc.
Commission File No.: 001-10629
The following is the text of a joint press release issued by TLC Laser Eye
Centers Inc. and Laser Vision Centers, Inc. on Wednesday, September 19, 2001:
[LOGO OF TLC LASER EYE CENTERS INC.] [LOGO OF LASER VISION CENTERS INC.]
JOINT NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
FOR ANALYST, INVESTOR AND BUSINESS/FINANCIAL/TRADE MEDIA SUPPORT CONTACT:
STEPHEN KILMER, TLC LASER EYE CENTERS INC., 905-238-3904,
STEPHEN.KILMER@TLCVISION.COM OR JOHN STILES, LASER VISION CENTERS INC.,
314-434-6900, JSTILES@LASERVISION.COM.
FOR CONSUMER, DOCTOR AND GENERAL INQUIRIES CONTACT: DAVID SMITH, TLC VISION
MERGER HOTLINE, 1-800-TLC-1033 EXT. 3060, MERGER@TLCVISION.COM..
TLC AND LASER VISION CENTERS MERGER ON-TRACK WITH FILINGS
BETHESDA, MD and ST. LOUIS, MO, September 19, 2001 - TLC Laser Eye Centers Inc.
(NASDAQ:TLCV; TSE:TLC) and Laser Vision Centers Inc. (NASDAQ:LVCI) jointly
issued the following update on the estimated time table for completing their
proposed merger, announced on August 27.
Yesterday, TLC and LaserVision completed the pre-merger notification filings
with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") required under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The companies also
anticipate filing a preliminary joint proxy statement and prospectus with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") within the next few weeks.
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The two organizations remain confident that the merger, which is subject to
certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the approval of
TLC and LaserVision shareholders, will close by the end of this calendar year.
"More than just a simple business combination, this merger is designed to
generate a sum greater than its two parts. There is little question that current
economic conditions are weak. Those conditions may, however, create an even
larger opportunity to capture the significant synergies that we expect from
joining our two companies," commented Jack Klobnak, Chairman and CEO of
LaserVision.
ABOUT TLC
Founded in 1993, TLC enjoys a number of valuable assets including a network of
more than 12,500 affiliated doctors, access to some of the newest refractive
technologies, proven patient education and marketing programs, The TLC Lifetime
Commitment SM to patients, a full suite of advanced information systems and
support services, and a well established corporate brand.
ABOUT LASERVISION
Founded in 1986, LaserVision brings extensive relationships with more than 900
independent surgeons, a strong operations management culture, state-of-the-art
mobile laser technology, and experience with the mobile cataract services and
ophthalmic ambulatory surgical center businesses. LaserVision operates in the
United States and the United Kingdom.
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MAP
A map showing the geographical location of each TLC and LaserVision site can be
viewed at www.tlcvision.com/merger/index.html or www.laservision.com/merger.
THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS CERTAIN FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ABOUT TLC,
LASERVISION AND THE PROPOSED MERGER WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 27A OF THE
U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND SECTION 21E OF THE U.S. SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
OF 1934, WHICH STATEMENTS CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF FORWARD LOOKING
TERMINOLOGY, SUCH AS "MAY", "WILL", "EXPECT","INTEND", "ANTICIPATE", "ESTIMATE",
"PREDICT", "PLAN" OR "CONTINUE" OR THE NEGATIVE THEREOF OR OTHER VARIATIONS
THEREON OR COMPARABLE TERMINOLOGY REFERRING TO FUTURE EVENTS OR RESULTS. FORWARD
LOOKING STATEMENTS, BY THEIR NATURE, ARE SUBJECT TO RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES,
TLC'S AND LASERVISION'S ACTUAL RESULTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE
ANTICIPATED IN THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AS A RESULT OF NUMEROUS FACTORS,
INCLUDING THE ABILITY OF TLC AND LASERVISION TO CONSUMMATE A MERGER AND
SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE OPERATIONS, THE TIMING OF EXPENDITURES AND EXPANSION
OPPORTUNITIES, ANY OF WHICH COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO VARY MATERIALLY FROM
CURRENT RESULTS OR ANTICIPATED FUTURE RESULTS. SEE TLC'S REPORTS FILED WITH THE
TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE AND THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION AND
LASERVISION'S REPORTS FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
FROM TIME TO TIME FOR CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS IDENTIFYING IMPORTANT FACTORS WITH
RESPECT TO SUCH FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS, INCLUDING CERTAIN RISKS AND
UNCERTAINTIES, THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM RESULTS
REFERRED TO IN FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS. TLC AND LASERVISION ASSUME NO
OBLIGATION TO UPDATE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE TO UPDATE
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS TO REFLECT CHANGED ASSUMPTIONS, THE OCCURRENCE OF
ANTICIPATED EVENTS OR CHANGES IN FUTURE OPERATING RESULTS, FINANCIAL CONDITION
OR BUSINESS OVER TIME.
IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC
TLC PLANS TO FILE WITH THE SEC A REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 IN
CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION, AND LASER VISION PLANS TO FILE WITH THE SEC AND
MAIL TO ITS SHAREHOLDERS A PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS IN CONNECTION WITH THE
TRANSACTION. THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS WILL
CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TLC, LASER VISION, THE TRANSACTION AND
RELATED MATTERS. YOU ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO
OBTAIN FREE COPIES OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE PROXY
STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC BY TLC AND LASER
VISION THROUGH EITHER COMPANY OR THROUGH THE WEB SITE MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT
WWW.SEC.GOV. TLC AND LASER VISION, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS, MAY BE DEEMED TO BE PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION OF PROXIES WITH
RESPECT TO THE TRANSACTION. INFORMATION REGARDING TLC'S DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE
OFFICERS IS CONTAINED IN TLC'S REPORTS FILED WITH THE SEC, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE
AT THE WEB SITE MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT WWW.SEC.GOV OR DIRECTLY FROM TLC.
INFORMATION REGARDING LASER VISION'S DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS IS
CONTAINED IN LASER VISION'S REPORTS FILED WITH THE SEC, WHICH ARE AVAILABLE AT
WEB SITE MAINTAINED BY THE SEC AT WWW.SEC.GOV OR DIRECTLY FROM LASER VISION.