Filed by CBOT Holdings, Inc. 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
CBOT Holdings, Inc.
(Commission File No. 001-32650)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CBOT Contact:
Harlan Loeb
312.861.4703
CBOT CHALLENGES UNILATERAL DECREE OF CBOE BOARD
TO TERMINATE EXERCISE RIGHT
CHICAGO, December 22, 2006 –CBOT Holdings, Inc. (“CBOT”) today sought leave to file a second amended complaint against the CBOE and its Board in Delaware Court of Chancery and issued the following statement:
Consistent with its commitment to protect the exercise right of qualifying members of the CBOT, today the CBOT sought leave to file an amended complaint in response to CBOE’s unilateral decree on December 12, 2006 purporting to terminate the exercise right upon the completion of the CBOT’s merger with Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings, Inc. According to the amended complaint, the CBOE has breached its longstanding contractual obligations to Board of Trade exercise right holders, violated its own charter, and has disregarded Delaware law by discriminating against bona fide holders of the exercise right.
Without any notice to the Board of Trade or its members, the CBOE announced an intent to unilaterally terminate what it has previously acknowledged to be a longstanding contract right of the Board of Trade’s members. It took this action less than three months after it made a public commitment that an independent committee would have full authority regarding the treatment of exercise right holders in CBOE’s demutualization.
The exercise right traces its origins back to the creation of the CBOE by members of the CBOT.
About the CBOT
As one of the leading global derivative exchanges, the Chicago Board of Trade provides a diverse mix of financial, equity, and commodity futures and options-on-futures products. Building on its 158-year history, the CBOT continues to advance into the future using the strength of deep liquidity, market integrity and member-trader expertise.
Using superior trading technology in both electronic and open-auction trading platforms, the CBOT provides premier customer service to risk managers and investors worldwide. For more information visit our website at www.cbot.com.
Important Merger Information
In connection with the proposed merger of CBOT Holdings, Inc. (“CBOT”) and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. (“CME”), the parties have filed relevant materials with the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including a joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION, BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors are able to obtain a free copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about CBOT and CME without charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the joint proxy statement/prospectus can also be obtained when available, without charge by directing a request to CBOT Holdings, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, at 141 West Jackson, Chicago, Illinois 60604 or calling (312) 435-3500.
CBOT, CME and their respective directors and executive officers and other members of management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from CBOT shareholders in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding CBOT directors and executive officers is available in CBOT’s proxy statement for its 2006 annual meeting of stockholders, dated March 29, 2006. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is included in the joint proxy statement/prospectus and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC. This document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any 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. No offering 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.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this document and its attachments may contain forward-looking information regarding CBOT, CME and the combined company after the completion of the transactions that are intended to be covered by the safe harbor for “forward-looking statements” provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, the benefits of the business combination transaction involving CBOT and CME including future financial and operating results, the combined company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the management of CBOT and CME and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements: the ability to obtain governmental
approvals of the transaction on the proposed terms and schedule; the failure of CBOT shareholders or CME shareholders to approve the transaction; the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully; the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; competition and its effect on pricing, spending, third-party relationships and revenues; social and political conditions such as war, political unrest or terrorism; general economic conditions and normal business uncertainty. Additional risks and factors are identified in CBOT’s filings with the SEC, including its Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2005 which is available on CBOT’s website at http://www.cbot.com.
You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document. Except for any obligation to disclose material information under the Federal securities laws, CBOT undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document.
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