425 1 d459725d425.htm 425 425

 

Filed by Black Knight, Inc.

pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933

and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Subject Company: Black Knight, Inc.

Commission File No.: 333-265709

Date: March 9, 2023

The following email was sent on March 9, 2023 by Joe Nackashi, Chief Executive Officer of Black Knight, Inc. (“Black Knight”), to Black Knight employees in connection with the proposed transaction between Black Knight and Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.:

 

To:

From:

Date:

RE:

 

All Black Knight Employees

Joe Nackashi

March 9, 2023

ICE’s response to FTC attempting to Block Acquisition

Team,

Earlier today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it is challenging ICE’s acquisition of Black Knight.

In response, ICE issued a press release announcing the company strongly disagrees with and will vigorously oppose the FTC’s challenge. Since announcing the proposed acquisition, ICE has identified several areas where the combination of our two companies would benefit consumers and the mortgage industry. As the release states, we believe in the merits of our case and we will work with ICE to present our position in court. In the meantime, the companies will continue to work toward closing the acquisition, which is now expected in the third or fourth quarter.

In keeping with Black Knight’s Media Policy, if you are contacted by the media, investors or analysts or others about the acquisition, please do not respond, but rather forward the requester’s message to Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Kersch (904.854.5043 ) or Senior Vice President of Investor Relations Steve Eagerton (904.854.3683).

As I mentioned during our townhall, please continue to stay focused on supporting our clients and your coworkers. Thank you for all you do for our great company.

/s/ Joe

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This communication contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 175 promulgated thereunder, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 3b-6 promulgated thereunder, which involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Any statements about Black Knight’s or ICE’s plans, objectives, expectations, strategies, beliefs, or future performance or events constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements are identified as those that include words or phrases such as “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “trend,” “objective,” “continue,” or similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “may,” or similar expressions.


Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, estimates, and other important factors that change over time and could cause actual results to differ materially from any results, performance, or events expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include but are not limited to statements about the benefits of the proposed acquisition of Black Knight by ICE (the “Transaction”), including future financial and operating results, Black Knight’s or ICE’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the expected timing of completion of the Transaction, the expected form and timing of debt financing to fund the Transaction and other statements that are not historical facts.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. In addition to factors previously disclosed in Black Knight’s and ICE’s reports filed with the SEC and those identified elsewhere in this communication, the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements or historical performance: the occurrence of any event, change, or other circumstance that could give rise to the right of Black Knight or ICE to terminate the definitive merger agreement governing the terms and conditions of the Transaction, as amended by the parties on March 7, 2023; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Black Knight or ICE; the possibility that the Transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, stockholder, or other approvals and other conditions to closing are not received or satisfied on a timely basis or at all (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect Black Knight or ICE or the expected benefits of the Transaction); the risk that the benefits from the Transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, including as a result of changes in, or problems arising from, general economic, political and market conditions, interest and exchange rates, laws and regulations and their enforcement, and the degree of competition in the geographic and business areas in which Black Knight and ICE operate; the ability to promptly and effectively integrate the businesses of Black Knight with those of ICE; the possibility that the Transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; reputational risk and potential adverse reactions of Black Knight’s or ICE’s customers, employees or other business partners, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the Transaction; the diversion of management’s attention and time from ongoing business operations and opportunities on merger-related matters; ICE’s ability to complete the contemplated debt financing on a timely basis, on favorable terms or at all; and the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on Black Knight’s or ICE’s businesses, the ability to complete the Transaction or any of the other foregoing risks.

These factors are not necessarily all of the factors that could cause Black Knight’s or ICE’s actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by any of the forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could harm Black Knight’s or ICE’s results.

All forward-looking statements attributable to Black Knight or ICE, or persons acting on Black Knight’s or ICE’s behalf, are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth above. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and Black Knight and ICE do not undertake or assume any obligation to update publicly any of these statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If Black Knight or ICE update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that Black Knight or ICE will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Further information regarding Black Knight, ICE and factors which could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein can be found in Black Knight’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and its other filings with the SEC, and in ICE’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and its other filings with the SEC.


IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

In connection with Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 7, 2023, among Black Knight, ICE and Sand Merger Sub Corporation (the “Amended Merger Agreement”), ICE will file with the SEC a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (as amended by the post-effective amendment, the “Amended Registration Statement”), which was previously declared effective by the SEC on August 19, 2022, to register the shares of ICE common stock to be issued in connection with the Transaction. The Amended Registration Statement will include an updated proxy statement of Black Knight that also constitutes a prospectus of ICE. THE AMENDED MERGER AGREEMENT NECESSITATES A NEW VOTE BY BLACK KNIGHT’S STOCKHOLDERS IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION, AND THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REFERENCED HEREIN WILL BE A PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS FOR A NEW SPECIAL MEETING WITH RESPECT TO SUCH NEW VOTE.

INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE AMENDED REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 AND THE UPDATED PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS INCLUDED WITHIN THE AMENDED REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-4 WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE UPDATED PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING BLACK KNIGHT, ICE, THE TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS.

Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these documents and other documents filed with the SEC by Black Knight or ICE through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov or from Black Knight at its website, www.blackknightinc.com, or from ICE at its website, www.theice.com. Documents filed with the SEC by Black Knight will be available free of charge by accessing Black Knight’s website at www.blackknightinc.com under the tab “Investors” and then under the heading “Financials - SEC Filings” or, alternatively, by directing a request by mail or telephone to Black Knight, Inc., 601 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204, Attention: Investor Relations, (904) 854-5100, and documents filed with the SEC by ICE will be available free of charge by accessing ICE’s website at www.theice.com and following the link for “Investor Relations” or, alternatively, by directing a request by mail or telephone to Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., 5660 New Northside Drive, Third Floor, Atlanta, Georgia 30328, Attention: Investor Relations, (770) 857-4700, or by email to investors@ice.com.

PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOLICITATION

Black Knight, ICE, and certain of their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Black Knight in connection with the Transaction under the rules of the SEC. Information about the interests of the directors and executive officers of Black Knight and ICE and other persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of stockholders of Black Knight in connection with the Transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the updated proxy statement/prospectus related to the Transaction. Additional information about Black Knight, the directors and executive officers of Black Knight and their ownership of Black Knight common stock is also set forth in the definitive proxy statement for Black Knight’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on Schedule 14A on April 28, 2022, and other documents


subsequently filed by Black Knight with the SEC. Additional information about ICE, the directors and executive officers of ICE and their ownership of ICE common stock can also be found in ICE’s definitive proxy statement in connection with its 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on March 25, 2022, and other documents subsequently filed by ICE with the SEC. Free copies of these documents may be obtained as described above.

NO OFFER OR SOLICITATION

This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.