FILED BY SIRONA DENTAL SYSTEMS, INC. 
PURSUANT TO RULE 425 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, 
AS AMENDED AND DEEMED FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 14a-12

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED 
SUBJECT COMPANY: SIRONA DENTAL SYSTEMS, INC.

COMMISSION FILE NO. 000-22673

 

 

 

On November 20, 2015, Sirona Dental Systems, Inc. ("Sirona") held a conference call to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2015 earnings results. The following are excerpts from the transcript of such call discussing Sirona's pending merger with DENTSPLY International, Inc. (“DENTSPLY”):

 

Jeffrey Slovin: We made a small acquisition in Q3 and on September 15th we announced a transformational merger of equals with DENTSPLY, the global market leader in consumables for dental professionals.

 

Throughout the year, we continued to drive the adoption of digital solutions and Sirona’s products. Together, with DENTSPLY, we expect the penetration of digital dentistry to accelerate.

 

. . .

 

Ulrich Michel: While we are not providing financial guidance today, we will provide annual guidance for the combined company at the appropriate time, once the merger has closed.

 

. . .

 

Jeffrey Slovin: I also want to say a few words about our merger with DENTSPLY. By combining our two storied companies, we will become the world’s leading manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies with the most comprehensive dental solutions. As DENTSPLY SIRONA, we will be in the best position to meet the growing global demand for digital dentistry and integrated solutions. This merger will enable us to better deliver ON our strategic goals which are to:

• advance patient care and single visit dentistry;
• develop innovative products and integrated solutions;
• drive better, faster and safer dentistry;
• and to expand clinical education and training outreach.

DENTSPLY SIRONA will lead the way in enabling better clinical outcomes by bringing together the best in technology equipment and consumables, we believe that we can deliver more innovation and more value to our customers than either company could deliver on its own. This, in turn, should lead to sustainable long-term growth and value creation for our shareholders.

 

The merger is proceeding as planned and it is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2016. We cannot provide you many more details than that at this time, but we will continue to do so as we reach certain milestones along the way. We look forward to becoming “The Dental Solutions Company.”

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This communication, in addition to historical information, contains “forward-looking statements” (as defined in the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) regarding, among other things, future events or the future financial performance of DENTSPLY International Inc. (“DENTSPLY”) and Sirona Dental Systems Inc. (“Sirona”). Words such as “anticipate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” and words and terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future plans, actions or events identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relating to the proposed transaction include, but are not limited to: statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction between DENTSPLY and Sirona, including future financial and operating results; DENTSPLY’s and Sirona’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions; the expected timing of completion of the proposed transaction; and other statements relating to the merger that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to DENTSPLY and Sirona and involve estimates, expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that all such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, and important factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. With respect to the proposed transaction between DENTSPLY and Sirona, these factors could include, but are not limited to: the risk that DENTSPLY or Sirona may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the transaction, or that required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the transaction or result in the imposition of conditions that could reduce the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction or cause the parties to abandon the proposed transaction; the risk that a condition to closing of the transaction may not be satisfied; the length of time necessary to consummate the proposed transaction, which may be longer than anticipated for various reasons; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that the cost savings, synergies and growth from the proposed transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues; the effect of future regulatory or legislative actions on the companies or the industries in which they operate; the risk that the credit ratings of the combined company or its subsidiaries may be different from what the companies expect; economic and foreign exchange rate volatility; the continued strength of the dental and medical device markets; unexpected changes relating to competitive factors in the dental and medical devices industries; the timing, success and market reception for DENTSPLY’s and Sirona’s new and existing products; the possibility of new technologies outdating DENTSPLY’s or Sirona’s products; the outcomes of any litigation; continued support of DENTSPLY’s or Sirona’s products by influential dental and medical professionals; changes in the general economic environment, or social or political conditions, that could affect the businesses; the potential impact of the announcement or consummation of the proposed transaction on relationships with customers, suppliers, competitors, management and other employees; the ability to attract new customers and retain existing customers in the manner anticipated; the ability to hire and retain key personnel; reliance on and integration of information technology systems; the risks associated with assumptions the parties make in connection with the parties’ critical accounting estimates and legal proceedings; and the potential of international unrest, economic downturn or effects of currencies, tax assessments, tax adjustments, anticipated tax rates, raw material costs or availability, benefit or retirement plan costs, or other regulatory compliance costs.

 

 

Additional information concerning other risk factors is also contained in DENTSPLY’s and Sirona’s most recently filed Annual Reports on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other SEC filings.

 

Many of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions are beyond DENTSPLY’s or Sirona’s ability to control or predict. Because of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, forward-looking statements speak only as of the information currently available to the parties on the date they are made, and neither DENTSPLY nor Sirona undertakes any obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this communication. Nothing in this communication is intended, or is to be construed, as a profit forecast or to be interpreted to mean that earnings per DENTSPLY share or Sirona share for the current or any future financial years or those of the combined company, will necessarily match or exceed the historical published earnings per DENTSPLY share or Sirona share, as applicable. Neither DENTSPLY nor Sirona gives any assurance (1) that either DENTSPLY or Sirona will achieve its expectations, or (2) concerning any result or the timing thereof, in each case, with respect to any regulatory action, administrative proceedings, government investigations, litigation, warning letters, consent decree, cost reductions, business strategies, earnings or revenue trends or future financial results. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning DENTSPLY, Sirona, the proposed transaction, the combined company or other matters and attributable to DENTSPLY or Sirona or any person acting on their behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.  

 

Additional Information And Where To Find It

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval with respect to the proposed transaction between DENTSPLY and Sirona or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. 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. The proposed business combination transaction between DENTSPLY and Sirona will be submitted to the respective stockholders of DENTSPLY and Sirona for their consideration. In connection with the proposed transaction between DENTSPLY and Sirona, on October 29, 2015, DENTSPLY filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement on Form S-4 that includes a preliminary joint proxy statement of DENTSPLY and Sirona that also constitutes a preliminary prospectus of DENTSPLY. These materials are not yet final and will be amended. After such time as the registration statement on Form S-4 has been declared effective by the SEC, DENTSPLY and Sirona will mail the joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective stockholders when it becomes final. DENTSPLY and Sirona also plan to file other documents with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction. This communication is not a substitute for any prospectus, proxy statement or any other document which DENTSPLY or Sirona may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF DENTSPLY AND SIRONA ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS ONCE IT IS FILED WITH THE SEC AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THESE DOCUMENTS, CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DENTSPLY, SIRONA, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors and stockholders will be able to obtain free copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents containing important information about DENTSPLY and Sirona, once such documents are filed with the SEC, through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. DENTSPLY and Sirona make available free of charge at www.dentsply.com and www.sirona.com, respectively (in the “Investor Relations” section), copies of materials they file with, or furnish to, the SEC.

 

 

Participants In The Merger Solicitation

DENTSPLY, Sirona, and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of DENTSPLY and Sirona in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the directors and executive officers of Sirona is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2014 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on January 28, 2015. Information about the directors and executive officers of DENTSPLY is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2015 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 10, 2015. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Other information regarding those persons who are, under the rules of the SEC, participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.