ABINGDON, Va. and RICHMOND, Va., May 18,
2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpha Natural Resources, Inc. (NYSE:
ANR) and Massey Energy Company (NYSE: MEE) announced today that
Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended that
shareholders of ANR and MEE vote for adoption of all
board-sponsored proposals to merge the two companies.
Kevin Crutchfield, ANR's Chief
Executive Officer, said, "We are pleased that ISS has joined with
many leading industry analysts in recognizing the strong strategic
rationale behind this transaction and gratified by the support that
we've received for this transaction from our own shareholders."
Baxter F. Phillips, Jr., MEE's Chief Executive Officer &
President, said, "We are pleased by the ISS endorsement of this
transaction and look forward to the shareholder vote on June
1."
Special meetings of ANR and MEE shareholders have been called to
consider and act on the proposed merger on June 1, 2011. Assuming ANR and MEE
shareholders approve the proposals, ANR plans to consummate the
merger after the shareholder meetings on June 1.
About Alpha Natural Resources
Alpha Natural Resources is one of America's premier coal
suppliers with coal production capacity of greater than 90 million
tons a year. Alpha is the nation's leading supplier and
exporter of metallurgical coal used in the steel-making process and
is a major supplier of thermal coal to electric utilities and
manufacturing industries across the country. The Company,
through its affiliates, employs approximately 6,500 people and
operates approximately 68 mines and 13 coal preparation facilities
in Appalachia and the Powder River
Basin. More information about Alpha can be found on the
Company's Web site at www.alphanr.com.
About Massey Energy Company
Massey Energy Company, headquartered in Richmond, Va., with operations in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia, is the largest coal producer in
Central Appalachia and is included
in the S&P500 Index. Massey produces, processes and sells
various steam and metallurgical grade coals through its 25
processing plants and shipping centers and employs, through its
various subsidiaries, more than 7,300 employees. More
information about Massey can be found on the company's Web site at
www.masseyenergyco.com.
Forward Looking Statements
Information set forth herein contains "forward-looking
statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Alpha cautions readers that any forward-looking information
is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results
could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking
information.
Important Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication 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.
In connection with the proposed merger, Alpha has filed with the
SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 (commission file number
333-172888), as amended, that includes a preliminary joint proxy
statement/prospectus regarding the proposed merger. The
registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on
April 28, 2011, and a definitive
joint proxy statement/prospectus has been mailed to Alpha and
Massey stockholders on or about April 29,
2011 in connection with the proposed merger. INVESTORS
ARE URGED TO READ THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING
ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
RELATING TO THE MERGER FILED WITH THE SEC, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED MERGER. You may
obtain a copy of the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other
related documents filed by Alpha and Massey with the SEC regarding
the proposed merger as well as other filings containing
information, free of charge, through the web site maintained by the
SEC at www.sec.gov, by directing a request to Alpha's Investor
Relations department at Alpha Natural Resources, Inc., One Alpha Place, P.O. Box 2345, Abingdon, Virginia 24212, Attn: Investor
Relations, to D.F. King & Co.,
Inc., 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New
York, New York 10005 or to Massey's Investor Relations
department at, (804) 788 - 1824 or by email to
Investor@masseyenergyco.com. Copies of the joint proxy
statement/prospectus and the filings with the SEC that are
incorporated by reference in the joint proxy statement/prospectus
can also be obtained, without charge, from Alpha's website at
www.alphanr.com under the heading "Investor Relations" and then
under the heading "SEC Filings" and Massey's website at
www.masseyenergyco.com under the heading "Investors" and then under
the heading "SEC Filings".
Participants in Solicitation
Alpha, Massey and their respective directors, executive officers
and certain other members of management and employees may be deemed
to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in favor of the
proposed merger. Information regarding the persons who may,
under the rules of the SEC, be considered participants in the
solicitation of proxies in favor of the proposed merger is set
forth in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus filed with
the SEC. You can find information about Alpha's directors and
executive officers in Alpha's definitive proxy statement filed with
the SEC on April 1, 2011. You
can find information about Massey's directors and executive
officers in Amendment No. 1 to Massey's Annual Report on Form 10-K
filed with the SEC on April 19, 2011.
You can obtain free copies of these documents from Alpha or Massey
using the contact information above.
SOURCE Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.; Massey Energy Company