| Very truly yours, | ||
| MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC | ||
| By: |
/s/ Robert Eatroff | |
| Robert Eatroff Managing Director | ||
October 11, 2015
The Board of Directors of
EMC Corporation
176 South Street
Hopkinton, MA 01748
Members of the Board of Directors:
We understand that EMC Corporation, a Massachusetts corporation (the “Company”), proposes to enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, to be dated as of October 12, 2015 (the “Merger Agreement”), with Denali Holding Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), Dell Inc., a Delaware corporation and Universal Acquisition Co., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, each outstanding share of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Company Common Stock”), other than Company Common Stock directly or indirectly owned by Parent or Merger Sub, Company Common Stock beneficially owned by a Subsidiary of the Company that is directly or indirectly wholly owned by the Company and any Dissenting Shares, will be converted into the right to receive (i) a number of shares of Class V Common Stock, par value, $0.01 per share, of Parent (which will have the terms set forth in the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Parent attached as Exhibit C to the Merger Agreement) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (I) 222,966,450 by (II) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (including shares issued as a result of vesting of Company Equity Awards) (the “Stock Consideration”) and (ii) $24.05 in cash, without interest (the “Cash Consideration” and, together with the Stock Consideration, the “Merger Consideration”). The terms and conditions of the Merger are more fully set forth in the Merger Agreement and terms used herein and not defined shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Merger Agreement.
The Board of Directors has asked us whether, in our opinion, the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of shares of Company Common Stock entitled to receive such Merger Consideration.
In connection with rendering our opinion, we have, among other things:
| (i) | reviewed certain publicly available business and financial information relating to the Company and VMware, Inc. (“VMware”) that we deemed to be relevant, including publicly available research analysts’ estimates; |
| (ii) | reviewed certain non-public historical financial statements and other non-public historical financial and operating data relating to the Company and VMware prepared and furnished to us by management of the Company; |
| (iii) | reviewed certain non-public projected financial data relating to the Company under alternative business assumptions and certain non-public projected financial data relating to the Company, the Company (excluding VMware) and VMware on a stand-alone basis, each prepared and furnished to us by management of the Company; |
| (iv) | reviewed certain non-public historical and projected operating data relating to the Company prepared and furnished to us by management of the Company; |
| (v) | discussed the past and current operations, financial projections and current financial condition of the Company with management of the Company (including their views on the risks and uncertainties of achieving such projections); |
| (vi) | reviewed the reported prices and the historical trading activity of the Company Common Stock and VMware common stock; |
| (vii) | reviewed certain publicly available information relating to financial performance of publicly traded tracking stock of other companies; |
| (viii) | compared the financial performance of the Company and its stock market trading multiples with those of certain other publicly traded companies that we deemed relevant; |
| (ix) | reviewed a draft of the Merger Agreement, dated October 11, 2015, including a draft of Exhibit C thereto received on the same date, which we have assumed are in substantially final form and from which we assume the final form will not vary in any respect material to our analysis; |
| (x) | reviewed Parent’s proposed sources and uses of funds in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; and |
| (xi) | performed such other analyses and examinations and considered such other factors that we deemed appropriate. |
For purposes of our analysis and opinion, we have assumed and relied upon, without undertaking any independent verification of, the accuracy and completeness of all of the information publicly available, and all of the information supplied or otherwise made available to, discussed with, or reviewed by us, and we assume no liability therefor. With respect to the projected financial data relating to the Company and VMware referred to above, we have assumed that they have been reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available estimates and good faith judgments of management of the Company as to the future financial performance of the Company and VMware under the alternative business assumptions reflected therein. We express no view as to any projected financial data relating to the Company or VMware, or the assumptions on which they are based. We have further assumed that (i) Parent and its Subsidiaries will be Solvent immediately after giving effect to the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and (ii) neither Parent nor any of its Subsidiaries will incur any material Tax obligation as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. We have also assumed that the Merger, together with the related transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement, will qualify as an exchange within the meaning of Section 351 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
For purposes of rendering our opinion, we have assumed, in all respects material to our analysis, that the representations and warranties of each party contained in the Merger Agreement are true and correct, that each party will perform all of the covenants and agreements required to be performed by it under the Merger Agreement and that all conditions to the consummation of the Merger will be satisfied without material waiver or modification thereof. We have further assumed that all governmental, regulatory or other consents, approvals or releases necessary for the consummation of the Merger will be obtained without any material delay, limitation, restriction or condition that would have an adverse effect on the Company or the consummation of the Merger or materially reduce the benefits to the holders of the Company Common Stock of the Merger.
We have not made nor assumed any responsibility for making any independent valuation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities of the Company, nor have we been furnished with any such appraisals, nor have we evaluated the solvency or fair value of the Company under any state or federal laws relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or similar matters. Our opinion is necessarily based upon information made available to us as of the date hereof and financial, economic, market and other conditions as they exist and as can be evaluated on the date hereof. It is understood that subsequent developments may affect this opinion and that we do not have any obligation to update, revise or reaffirm this opinion.
We have not been asked to pass upon, and express no opinion with respect to, any matter other than the fairness to the holders of the Company Common Stock, from a financial point of view, of the Merger Consideration. We do not express any view on, and our opinion does not address, the fairness of the proposed transaction to, or any consideration received in connection therewith by, the holders of any other securities, creditors or other constituencies of the Company, nor as to the fairness of the amount or nature of any compensation to be paid or payable to any of the officers, directors or employees of the Company, or any class of such persons, whether relative to the Merger Consideration or otherwise. We have assumed that any modification
to the structure of the transaction will not vary in any respect material to our analysis. Our opinion does not address the relative merits of the Merger as compared to other business or financial strategies that might be available to the Company, nor does it address the underlying business decision of the Company to engage in the Merger. In arriving at our opinion, we were not authorized to solicit, and did not solicit, interest from any third party with respect to the acquisition of any or all of the Company Common Stock or any business combination or other extraordinary transaction involving the Company. This letter, and our opinion, does not constitute a recommendation to the Board of Directors or to any other persons in respect of the Merger, including as to how any holder of shares of Company Common Stock should vote or act in respect of the Merger. We express no opinion herein as to the price at which shares of Parent, including Class V Common Stock, or shares of VMware will trade at any time. We are not legal, regulatory, accounting or tax experts and have assumed the accuracy and completeness of assessments by the Company and its advisors with respect to legal, regulatory, accounting and tax matters.
We will receive a fee for our services upon the rendering of this opinion. The Company has also agreed to reimburse our expenses and to indemnify us against certain liabilities arising out of our engagement. We will also be entitled to receive a success fee if the Merger is consummated. Prior to this engagement, we, Evercore Group L.L.C. and its affiliates, provided financial advisory services to the Company and had received fees for the rendering of these services including the reimbursement of expenses. During the two year period prior to the date hereof, the only material relationship that existed between Evercore Group L.L.C. and its affiliates and Parent pursuant to which compensation was received by Evercore Group L.L.C. or its affiliates as a result of such a relationship was the representation of the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of Dell Inc. in relation to its acquisition by a consortium of investors. Prior to this engagement, we, Evercore Group L.L.C. and its affiliates, have also performed services for certain portfolio companies of funds managed by Silver Lake Partners, which also manages funds that are investors in Parent, and have received customary fees for rendering these services. We may provide financial or other services to Parent (or the Surviving Corporation) in the future and in connection with any such services we may receive compensation. In the ordinary course of business, Evercore Group L.L.C. or its affiliates may actively trade the securities, or related derivative securities, or financial instruments of the Company, VMware, Parent and their respective affiliates, for its own account and for the accounts of its customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in such securities or instruments.
This letter, and the opinion expressed herein is addressed to, and for the information and benefit of, the Board of Directors in connection with their evaluation of the proposed Merger. The issuance of this opinion has been approved by an Opinion Committee of Evercore Group L.L.C.
Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the Merger Consideration is fair, from a financial point of view, to the holders of the shares of Company Common Stock entitled to receive such Merger Consideration.
| Very truly yours, | ||
| EVERCORE GROUP L.L.C. | ||
| By: | /s/ J. Stuart Francis | |
| J. Stuart Francis Senior Managing Director | ||
EMC CORPORATION
176 SOUTH STREET
