UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 


 
FORM 8-K
 
 
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 25, 2015
 
PartnerRe Ltd.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
 
 
Bermuda
 
 
(State or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
 
     
001-14536
 
Not Applicable
(Commission File Number)
 
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
     
Wellesley House South, 90 Pitts Bay Road,
Pembroke, Bermuda
 
HM 08
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
 
(Zip Code)
     
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (441) 292-0888
 
 
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
 
x
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 



 
 
 
 
 
Item 8.01.     Other Events.
 
On January 25, 2015, PartnerRe Ltd. entered into an Agreement and Plan of Amalgamation (the “Amalgamation Agreement”) with Axis Capital Holdings Limited, a Bermuda exempted company (“Axis”), pursuant to which PartnerRe will amalgamate with Axis and continue as a Bermuda exempted company (the “Amalgamation”).
 
On January 25, 2015, PartnerRe issued a press release announcing that it had entered into the Amalgamation Agreement. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference into this Item 8.01.
 
Important Information For Investors And Shareholders
 
This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval.  This communication relates to a proposed business combination between PartnerRe Ltd. (“PartnerRe”) and AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (“AXIS”).  In connection with this proposed business combination, PartnerRe and/or AXIS may file one or more proxy statements, registration statements, proxy statement/prospectus or other documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  This communication is not a substitute for any proxy statement, registration statement, proxy statement/prospectus or other document PartnerRe and/or AXIS may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction.  INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF PARTNERRE AND AXIS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT(S), REGISTRATION STATEMENT(S), PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT MAY BE FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.  Any definitive proxy statement(s) (if and when available) will be mailed to stockholders of PartnerRe and/or AXIS, as applicable.  Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of these documents (if and when available) and other documents filed with the SEC by PartnerRe and/or AXIS through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.  Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by PartnerRe will be available free of charge on PartnerRe’s internet website at http://www.partnerre.com or by contacting PartnerRe’s Investor Relations Director by email at robin.sidders@partnerre.com or by phone at 1-441-294-5216.  Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by AXIS will be available free of charge on AXIS’ internet website at http://www.axiscapital.com or by contacting AXIS’ Investor Relations Contact by email at linda.ventresca@axiscapital.com or by phone at 1-441-405-2727.
 
Participants in Solicitation
 
PartnerRe, AXIS, their respective directors and certain of their respective executive officers may be considered participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction.  Information about the directors and executive officers of PartnerRe is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, which was filed with the SEC on February 27, 2014, its proxy statement for its 2014 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on April 1, 2014, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014 which was filed with the SEC on October 31, 2014 and its Current Reports on Form 8-K, which were filed with the SEC on May 16, 2014 and April 27, 2014.  Information about the directors and executive officers of AXIS is set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, which was filed with the SEC on February 21, 2014, its proxy statement for its 2014 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 28, 2014, its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014 which was filed with the SEC on October 31, 2014 and its Current Report on Form 8-K, which was filed with the SEC on August 7, 2014, June 26, 2014, March 27, 2014 and February 26, 2014.
 
These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above.  Additional information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement/prospectus and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available.
 
Forward Looking Statements
 
Certain statements in this communication regarding the proposed transaction between PartnerRe and AXIS are “forward-looking” statements.  The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “ensure,” “expect,” “if,” “intend,” “estimate,”
 
 
 

 
 
“probable,” “project,” “forecasts,” “predict,” “outlook,” “aim,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “would,” “potential,” “may,” “might,” “anticipate,” “likely” “plan,” “positioned,” “strategy,” and similar expressions, and the negative thereof, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.  These forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions about PartnerRe and AXIS, may include projections of their respective future financial performance, their respective anticipated growth strategies and anticipated trends in their respective businesses.  These statements are only predictions based on current expectations and projections about future events.  There are important factors that could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including the risk factors set forth in PartnerRe’s most recent report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other documents on file with the SEC and the factors given below:
 
•      failure to obtain the approval of shareholders of PartnerRe or AXIS in connection with the proposed transaction;
 
•      the failure to consummate or delay in consummating the proposed transaction for other reasons;
 
•      the timing to consummate the proposed transaction;
 
•      the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied;
 
•      the risk that a regulatory approval that may be required for the proposed transaction is delayed, is not obtained, or is obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated;
 
•      AXIS’ or PartnerRe’s ability to achieve the synergies and value creation contemplated by the proposed transaction;
 
•      The ability of either PartnerRe or AXIS to effectively integrate their businesses; and
 
•      the diversion of management time on transaction-related issues.
 
PartnerRe’s forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that PartnerRe believes to be reasonable but that may not prove to be accurate. AXIS’s forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that AXIS believes to be reasonable but that may not prove to be accurate. Neither PartnerRe nor AXIS can guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements.  Moreover, neither PartnerRe nor AXIS assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements.  PartnerRe and AXIS assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.
 
 
 

 
 
Item 9.01     Financial Statements and Exhibits
 
Exhibit No.
 
Description
99.1
 
Press Release announcing the Amalgamation Agreement, dated January 25, 2015

 
 

 
 
SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
   
PartnerRe Ltd.‎‎
(Registrant)
     
     
Date:
January 26, 2015
 
By:
/s/ Marc Wetherhill
       
Name:
Marc Wetherhill
       
Title:
Chief Legal Counsel
           
 
 

 
 
Exhibit Index
 
Exhibit No.
 
Description
99.1
 
Press Release announcing the Amalgamation Agreement, dated January 25, 2015