Filed pursuant to Rule 425 under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
deemed filed under Rule 14a-12 under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
Filer: SJW Group
Commission File No.: 1-08966
Subject Company: Connecticut Water Service, Inc.
Commission File No.: 0-08084
SJW Group Committed to Supporting California Public Utilities Commission’s
Order Instituting Investigation of Merger with Connecticut Water
Transaction with Connecticut Water Remains on Track to Close During the Fourth Quarter 2018
Merger Is Expected to Provide Significant Benefits to Customers and Service Area Communities
San Jose, CA – July 12, 2018 – SJW Group (NYSE: SJW) is committed to supporting the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) decision – confirmed today by the CPUC – to issue an Order Instituting Investigation (“OII”) of SJW Group’s merger with Connecticut Water Service, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTWS) (“Connecticut Water”). The OII is a fact-finding initiative by which the CPUC will determine whether the transaction is subject to its review.
Robert A. Van Valer, the lead independent director of SJW Group’s Board of Directors and trustee of the Roscoe Moss Jr. Revocable Trust, which is the largest stockholder of the company, said:
“We will comply with the CPUC’s OII and its additional request to consider the ratemaking impacts of the proposed merger as part of San Jose Water Company’s current general rate case that was filed this past January and is scheduled to conclude this December. The CPUC has said it will complete the OII within the next five months, which keeps us on track to complete our proposed merger with Connecticut Water during the fourth quarter of 2018. We look forward to supporting the CPUC’s review of the significant benefits we believe our transaction will provide our customers, employees, shareholders and the communities we serve by creating a combined company with scale, geographic diversity, and financial strength.”
J.P. Morgan is serving as financial advisor to SJW Group and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom is serving as its legal advisor.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “projects,” “strategy,” or “anticipates,” or the negative of those words or other comparable terminology.
The accuracy of such statements is subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, but not limited to, the following factors: (1) the risk that the conditions to the closing of the proposed business combination transaction between SJW Group and Connecticut Water Service, Inc., (“CTWS”) may not be satisfied or waived, including the risk that required approvals from the security holders of each party to the proposed transaction are not obtained; (2) the risk that the regulatory approvals required for the proposed transaction are not obtained, or that in order to obtain such regulatory approvals, conditions are imposed that adversely affect the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction; (3) the risk that the anticipated tax treatment of the
proposed transaction is not obtained; (4) the effect of water, utility, environmental and other governmental policies and regulations; (5) litigation relating to the proposed transaction; (6) uncertainties as to the timing of the consummation of the proposed transaction and the ability of each party to consummate the proposed transaction; (7) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts the current plans and operations of SJW Group or CTWS; (8) the ability of SJW Group and CTWS to retain and hire key personnel; (9) competitive responses to the proposed transaction; (10) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; (11) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the proposed transaction; (12) the combined companies’ ability to achieve the growth prospects and synergies expected from the proposed transaction, as well as delays, challenges and expenses associated with integrating the combined companies’ existing businesses; and (13) legislative and economic developments. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the proposed transaction, are more fully discussed in the joint proxy statement/prospectus that is included in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by SJW Group with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 25, 2018 in connection with the proposed transaction, as amended by that Amendment No. 1 to Form S-4 filed with the SEC on June 7, 2018 and that Amendment No. 2 to Form S-4 filed with the SEC on June 25, 2018, CTWS’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on May 9, 2018 and SJW Group’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on May 8, 2018.
In addition, actual results are subject to other risks and uncertainties that relate more broadly to CTWS’s overall business and financial condition, including those more fully described in its filings with the SEC including its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and SJW Group’s overall business, including those more fully described in its filings with the SEC including its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. Forward looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and speak only as of the date made, and neither CTWS or its management nor SJW Group or its management undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by law.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS
In response to the tender offer for all the outstanding shares of common stock of SJW Group commenced by California Water Service Group (“California Water”) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Waltz Acquisition Sub, Inc., SJW Group has filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC on June 15, 2018, as amended by that Amendment No. 1 to Schedule 14D-9 filed with the SEC on June 26, 2018. Investors and shareholders of SJW Group are urged to read the solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 and other documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC carefully and in their entirety because they contain important information. Investors and shareholders of SJW Group may obtain a copy of these documents free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These materials are also available free of charge at SJW Group’s investor relations website at https://sjwgroup.com/investor_relations. In addition, copies of these materials may be requested from SJW Group’s information agent, Georgeson LLC, toll-free at (866) 357-4029.
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT
In connection with the proposed transaction between SJW Group and CTWS, on April 25, 2018, SJW Group filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4, as amended by that Amendment No. 1 to Form S-4 filed with the SEC on June 7, 2018 and that Amendment No. 2 to Form S-4 filed with the SEC on June 25, 2018, that includes a joint proxy statement of SJW Group and CTWS that also constitutes a prospectus of SJW Group. These materials are not yet final and may be amended. SJW Group and CTWS will also each file a GREEN proxy card with the SEC, and SJW Group and CTWS may also file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This document is not a substitute for the joint proxy statement/prospectus, registration statement on Form S-4 or any other document which SJW Group or CTWS may file with the SEC. Investors and shareholders of SJW Group and CTWS are urged to read the registration statement on Form S-4, the joint proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents that are filed or will be filed with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to these documents, carefully and in their entirety because they contain or will contain
important information about the proposed transaction and related matters. Investors and shareholders of SJW Group and CTWS may obtain free copies of the registration statement on Form S-4 and the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC by SJW Group and CTWS through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by SJW Group are available free of charge on SJW Group’s investor relations website at https://sjwgroup.com/investor_relations. Copies of documents filed with the SEC by CTWS are available free of charge on CTWS’s investor relations website at https://ir.ctwater.com/.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is for informational purposes only and is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy, or a solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.
Participants in the Solicitation
SJW Group, CTWS and certain of their respective directors and officers, and other members of management and employees, may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the holders of SJW Group and CTWS securities in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding SJW Group’s directors and officers is available in SJW Group’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 and its proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting dated March 6, 2018, which are filed with the SEC. Information regarding CTWS’s directors and officers is available in CTWS’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and its proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting dated April 6, 2018, which are filed with the SEC. Investors may obtain additional information regarding the interest of such participants by reading the Form S-4 and the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed with the SEC by SJW Group and CTWS. These documents are available free of charge from the sources indicated above.
Contacts
Investors
Andrew Walters
Chief Administrative Officer, SJW Group
408-279-7818, andrew.walters@sjwater.com
Georgeson
866-357-4029
GeorgesonSJW@georgeson.com
Media
Jayme Ackemann
Director, Corporate Communications, SJW Group
408-918-7247, jayme.ackemann@sjwater.com
Abernathy MacGregor
Ian Campbell, 213-630-6550, idc@abmac.com
Chuck Dohrenwend, 212-371-5999, cod@abmac.com
Jeremy Jacobs, 212-371-5999, jrj@abmac.com