Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
File No. 333-262106
Aspen Technology, Inc.
20 Crosby Drive
Bedford, Massachusetts 01730
(781) 221-6400
April 18, 2022
Dear Aspen Technology, Inc. Stockholders:
You are cordially invited to attend a special meeting of the stockholders of Aspen Technology, Inc. (“AspenTech”) to be held on May 16, 2022, at 9:00 a.m., Eastern time, at the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, 500 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.
On October 10, 2021, AspenTech and Emerson Electric Co. (“Emerson”) entered into a Transaction Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 23, 2022 (as it may be further amended from time to time, the “Transaction Agreement”) to combine two of Emerson’s industrial software businesses, Open Systems International, Inc. and its Geological Simulation Software business (the “Emerson Industrial Software Business”), and AspenTech under a new publicly traded company.
The Transaction Agreement provides for (i) Emerson’s contribution of $6,014,000,000 in cash to Emersub CX, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson (“Newco”), in exchange for Newco common stock, (ii) EMR Worldwide Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson (“Emerson Sub”), contributing the Emerson Industrial Software Business, to Newco in exchange for Newco common stock, (iii) the merger of Emersub CXI, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Newco (“Merger Sub”), with and into AspenTech, with AspenTech being the surviving corporation and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Newco (the “Merger”) and (iv) as a result of the Merger, each issued and outstanding share of AspenTech common stock (subject to certain exceptions) converting into the right to receive both 0.42 shares of Newco common stock and a per share cash consideration, calculated by dividing $6,014,000,000 by the number of outstanding shares of AspenTech common stock as of the closing of the transaction (the “Closing”) on a fully diluted basis (the foregoing and the other transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement collectively, the “Transactions”). The cash consideration is currently estimated to be approximately $87.50 per share of AspenTech common stock.
At the Closing, Newco will change its registered name with the Secretary of State of Delaware to “Aspen Technology, Inc.” (and thereafter referred to as “New AspenTech” in the accompanying combined proxy statement/prospectus). Immediately following the Closing, Emerson will own 55% of the outstanding shares of New AspenTech common stock (on a fully diluted basis) and former AspenTech stockholders will own the remaining outstanding shares of New AspenTech common stock. Following the Closing, AspenTech common stock will be delisted from NASDAQ and deregistered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and cease to be publicly traded. New AspenTech and its subsidiaries will operate under AspenTech’s current name “Aspen Technology, Inc.” and New AspenTech common stock will be traded on NASDAQ under AspenTech’s current stock ticker symbol “AZPN.”
At the special meeting of the stockholders of AspenTech, you will be asked to vote on:
•
| a proposal to adopt the Transaction Agreement and approve the Transactions, including the Merger; |
•
| a proposal to approve, on a non-binding, advisory basis, the compensation that will or may become payable to AspenTech’s named executive officers in connection with the Transactions, including the Merger; and |
•
| a proposal to adjourn AspenTech’s special meeting if AspenTech determines it is necessary or advisable to permit further solicitation of proxies in the event there are not sufficient votes at the time of the special meeting to adopt the Transaction Agreement. |
Following a comprehensive review of AspenTech’s strategic opportunities to increase stockholder value, the AspenTech board of directors (the “AspenTech Board”) concluded that Emerson is the ideal strategic partner for AspenTech and that the structure of the Transactions provides the best opportunity to drive continued growth and expand AspenTech’s ability to support customers’ global sustainability ambitions. The AspenTech Board believes the Transactions will create a diversified, high-performance industrial software leader with a global footprint, strong go-to-market capabilities and a high-growth, predictable business model. New AspenTech will potentially provide substantial benefits to AspenTech stockholders as holders of shares of New AspenTech common stock and offer a highly differentiated industrial software portfolio that can support the lifecycle of complex operations across a wide range of industry verticals including design and engineering, operations, maintenance and asset optimization.
The AspenTech Board has reviewed and considered the terms of the Transaction Agreement and has determined that the Transaction Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger, are advisable, fair to, and in the best interests of, AspenTech and its stockholders. The AspenTech Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposal to adopt the Transaction Agreement and approve the Transactions, including the Merger, and “FOR” all the other proposals described in the accompanying combined proxy statement/prospectus.
We urge you to read the enclosed combined proxy statement/prospectus, including the Annexes and the documents incorporated by reference therein, carefully and in their entirety, as they include important information about the Transactions.
In particular, we urge you to carefully read the section titled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 33 of the enclosed combined proxy statement/prospectus for a description of the risks that you should consider in evaluating the Transactions. Your vote is very important. We cannot complete the Transactions unless AspenTech stockholders adopt the Transaction Agreement and approve the Transactions, including the Merger. Whether or not you expect to attend the special meeting, the details of which are described in the enclosed combined proxy statement/prospectus, please immediately submit your proxy by telephone, by the Internet or by completing, signing, dating and returning your signed proxy card(s) in the enclosed prepaid return envelope.
After the completion of the Transactions, we will be a “Controlled Company” within the meaning of NASDAQ corporate governance listing standards. We will qualify for exemptions from certain NASDAQ corporate governance listing standards and we will avail ourselves of such exemptions, in whole or in part, as requested by Emerson.
If you have any questions or require assistance in voting your shares, you should call Innisfree M&A Incorporated, AspenTech’s proxy solicitor for the special meeting, toll-free at +1 (877) 717-3095.
| | | Sincerely, |
| | | |
| | | /s/ Antonio Pietri |
| | | |
| | | Antonio Pietri |
| | | President and Chief Executive Officer |
| | | Aspen Technology, Inc. |
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities to be issued pursuant to the Transactions or determined if the enclosed combined proxy statement/prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The enclosed combined proxy statement/prospectus is dated April 18, 2022, and is first being mailed to stockholders on or about April 18, 2022.