Message #2 From:
Stock News Bot Date: October 12, 2006 06:27:00 AM
AAWW News Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Makes Interim Distribution of New Common Stock Pursuant to Reorganization Plan
PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (AAWW) (Nasdaq: AAWW), a leading
provider of global air cargo services, has begun distribution of 396,625
shares of AAWW’s new common stock to holders
of allowed general unsecured claims against AAWW and certain of its
subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of a Joint Plan of Reorganization
under which AAWW and the subsidiaries emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection on July 27, 2004.
The current issuance of shares under the Plan follows an initial pro
rata distribution of 16,095,776 shares of new common stock of AAWW to
holders of allowed general unsecured claims in July 2005 and subsequent
interim distributions to eligible claimholders of 40,940 shares in
October 2005, 7,493 shares in January 2006, and 40,824 shares in April
2006.
Distributions from the remaining 621,008 shares of new common stock
reserved for issuance to holders of allowed general unsecured claims by
the Plan will take place on a periodic basis.
Altogether, the Plan allocates a total of 17,202,666 shares of AAWW’s
new common stock to holders of allowed general unsecured claims against
the bankruptcy estates of AAWW, Atlas Air, Inc., Airline Acquisition
Corp I, and Atlas Worldwide Aviation Logistics, Inc.
Under the Plan, these shares will be issued to holders of allowed claims
in the same proportion as each holder’s
allowed claim bears to the total amount of allowed claims. The exact
number of shares that each claimholder ultimately receives pursuant to
the Plan is dependent on the final total of allowed claims and other
factors, such as unclaimed distributions and fractional share interests.
Should any distribution of new common stock result in a claimholder
being entitled to the receipt of a fractional share, AAWW’s
disbursing agent will retain the fractional share until a distribution
would result in a whole number of shares being distributed to the
claimholder on the next applicable distribution date.
For purposes of a final share distribution under the Plan, fractions of
new common stock will not be issued. Instead, fractions of new common
stock will be rounded up or down to the nearest whole number, with
fractions equal to or less than 0.5 of a share rounded down. Any
remaining undistributed shares on the final distribution date will be
released from AAWW’s new common stock reserve
and become authorized, unissued common stock of AAWW.
As of September 30, 2006, $607.0 million of general unsecured claims
against AAWW and the named subsidiaries had been allowed and claims of
$22.7 million remained in dispute. The latter figure, however, has been
and continues to be reduced by virtue of the ongoing claims
reconciliation process.
Following the current distribution of shares to holders of allowed
unsecured claims, the remaining balance of shares of new common stock
authorized for issuance under the Plan will be reserved for issuance to
holders of disputed general unsecured claims against the bankruptcy
estates of AAWW and the named subsidiaries, in the event such disputed
claims are subsequently determined to be allowed claims.
To the extent that any such disputed claims become disallowed claims,
the shares of new common stock reserved for issuance to the holders of
such disputed claims will be distributed pro rata to holders of allowed
general unsecured claims previously receiving shares of new common stock.
Including the current distribution, AAWW will have a total of
approximately 20.5 million shares of common stock outstanding.
About Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc.:
AAWW is the parent company of Atlas Air, Inc. (Atlas) and Polar Air
Cargo, Inc. (Polar), which together operate the world’s
largest fleet of Boeing 747 freighter aircraft.
AAWW, through its principal subsidiaries Atlas and Polar, offers
scheduled air cargo service, cargo charters, military charters, and ACMI
aircraft leasing in which customers receive a dedicated aircraft, crew,
maintenance and insurance on a long-term lease basis.
AAWW’s press releases, SEC filings and other
information may be accessed through the Company’s
home page, www.atlasair.com.
This release contains “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that reflect AAWW’s
current views with respect to certain current and future events and
financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are and will be,
as the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors
relating to the operations and business environments of AAWW and its
subsidiaries (collectively, the “companies”)
that may cause the actual results of the companies to be materially
different from any future results, express or implied, in such
forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the
following: the ability of the companies to operate pursuant to the terms
of their financing facilities; the ability of the companies to obtain
and maintain normal terms with vendors and service providers; the
companies’ ability to maintain contracts that
are critical to their operations; the ability of the companies to fund
and execute their business plan; the ability of the companies to
attract, motivate and/or retain key executives and associates; the
ability of the companies to attract and retain customers; the continued
availability of our wide-body aircraft; demand for cargo services in the
markets in which the companies operate; economic conditions; the effects
of any hostilities or act of war (in the Middle East or elsewhere) or
any terrorist attack; labor costs and relations; financing costs; the
cost and availability of war risk insurance; our continued ability to
remedy weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting;
aviation fuel costs; security-related costs; competitive pressures on
pricing (especially from lower-cost competitors); volatility in the
international currency markets; weather conditions; government
legislation and regulation; consumer perceptions of the companies’
products and services; pending and future litigation; and other risks
and uncertainties set forth from time to time in AAWW’s
reports to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
For additional information, we refer you to the risk factors set forth
under the heading “Risk Factors”
in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by AAWW with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on April 14, 2006. Other factors and assumptions not
identified above are also involved in the preparation of forward-looking
statements, and the failure of such other factors and assumptions to be
realized may also cause actual results to differ materially from those
discussed.
AAWW assumes no obligation to update such statements contained in this
release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in
other factors affecting such estimates other than as required by law.