SEC Company Response from VIA NET WORKS INC (CIK 0001098402) — Jun 1, 2005
VIA NET WORKS INC (CIK 0001098402)
Date: June 1, 2005 · CIK: 0001098402 · Accession: 0001104659-05-026427
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
File numbers found in text: 000-29391
Referenced dates: May 23, 2005, May 25, 2005
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm June 1, 2005 BY HAND DELIVERY AND EDGAR Mark P. Shuman U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 450 5th Street, NW Mail Stop 4-6 Washington, DC 20549 Re: Via Net.Works, Inc. Preliminary Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A Filed May 9, 2005 File No. 000-29391-15 Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005 Dear Mr. Shuman: This is to confirm that in telephone conversations with the Staff regarding the Staff’s comment letter dated May 23, 2005 (the “Staff Letter”) relating to your review of the above-referenced filings, we indicated that upon the instructions of Via Net.Works, Inc. (“VIA” or the “Registrant”) the responses set forth in our response letter dated May 25, 2005 to comments 1 and 3 set forth in the Staff Letter have been withdrawn. VIA intends to file unaudited financial statements of the business being sold and an unredacted copy of the agreement previously the subject of the Registrant’s confidential treatment request, which also has been withdrawn. Further, as discussed with the Staff in telephone conversations, VIA intends to include in the preliminary proxy statement updated audited consolidated financial statements for each of the three years ended December 31, 2004, 2003 and 2002 and as of December 31, 2004 and 2003 to reflect the presentation of its Swiss operations as a discontinued operation in order to comply with SEC Staff Training Manual, Appendix C: Effects of Subsequent Events on Financial Statements Required in Filings IV. Discontinued Operations, which requires consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in the proxy statement to be consistent with the presentation in the unaudited condensed financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2005 included in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The Swiss operations were sold in early April 2005, and were treated as discontinued operations in VIA’s first quarter Form 10-Q. The Registrant has incorporated its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 into the proxy statement by reference, but will refer stockholders to the updated annual consolidated financial statements included in the proxy statement, and explain the reasons for the update. The proposed language is attached as part of the Changed Pages and included in the revised preliminary proxy statement. Under FASB Statement No. 144, paragraph 30, VIA has correctly accounted for the Swiss operations as long-lived assets to be held and used in the audited consolidated financial statements in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 as the assets did not meet the requirements to be accounted for as held for sale at December 31, 2004. We understand that the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 does not need to be amended for the updated financial information provided to the shareholders in the preliminary proxy statement under SEC regulations or US GAAP. If the Form 10-K financial statements were not being incorporated by reference into the proxy statement, the Registrant would not be required to provide to their shareholders the updated annual consolidated financial statements to present its Swiss operations as a discontinued operation. Concurrently with the submission of this letter, the Registrant has filed as correspondence copies of the revised preliminary proxy statement and quarterly report on Form 10-Q/A. We are also supplementally providing to the Staff courtesy copies of all of the pages that have changed in connection with the withdrawal of the responses referenced above, as well as other pages that have changed based on the Registrant’s continued review of the proxy statement (collectively, the “Changed Pages”). We are also supplementally providing to the Staff courtesy copies of the preliminary proxy statement and Form 10-Q/A marked to show changes from the preliminary proxy statement filed on May 25, 2005 and the Form 10-Q/A filed as correspondence on May 25, 2005. As discussed in telephone conversations with the Staff, if there are no further comments the Registrant would like to be able to file a definitive proxy statement and commence mailing. Should you have any questions concerning the above or the Changed Pages, please do not hesitate to call me at (202) 637-5736. Respectfully submitted, Steven M. Kaufman Enclosures cc: Matt S. Nydell James O. Smith Gregory F. Parisi UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 14A Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 1) Filed by the Registrant x Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o Check the appropriate box: x Preliminary Proxy Statement o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) o Definitive Proxy Statement o Definitive Additional Materials o Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12 VIA NET.WORKS, INC. (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box): o No fee required. o Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. (1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: (2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: (3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined): (4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: (5) Total fee paid: x Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. o Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. (1) Amount Previously Paid: (2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: (3) Filing Party: (4) Date Filed: Persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. Dear Shareholder: You are cordially invited to attend a Special and Annual Meeting of Shareholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Shareholder Meeting”) of VIA NET.WORKS, Inc. (“VIA” or the “Company”) to be held on [ ], 2005 at [ ], at the Company’s offices located at H. Walaardt Sacréstraat 401 1117 BM Schiphol-Oost, The Netherlands. At the Shareholder Meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon: (1) a proposal to approve and adopt the Sale and Purchase Agreement dated as of April 30, 2005 (the “Sale Agreement”), and the sale of substantially all the assets of the Company to Claranet Group Limited (“Claranet” or the “Purchaser”), and the assumption by the Purchaser of certain related liabilities pursuant to the Sale Agreement; (2) a proposal to approve and adopt the dissolution (the “Dissolution”) and Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution of VIA (the “Plan of Dissolution”); (3) the election of two Class II directors to serve for a three-year term; (4) the authorization for our board of directors to amend, at its discretion, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation by adopting one of two proposed amendments to effect a reverse stock split, either a one-for-ten reverse stock split or a one-for-twenty reverse stock split, of all the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without further approval of our shareholders, upon a determination by our board that a reverse stock split is in the best interests of our Company and our shareholders; and (5) such other matters as may properly come before the Shareholder Meeting, or any postponements or adjournments thereof. Descriptions of the foregoing matters are included in the accompanying proxy statement. Copies of the Sale Agreement and the Plan of Dissolution are attached as appendices to the proxy statement. The board of directors has unanimously approved the Sale Agreement and has unanimously approved and deemed advisable the Dissolution and the Plan of Dissolution, in each case as being in the best interests of VIA and its shareholders. The board has nominated both directors to serve for new terms, and has approved the amendments to effect a reverse stock split. The board recommends that you vote FOR approval and adoption of all of these proposals and FOR both of the nominees proposed for election as directors of VIA. Attached is a Notice of Meeting of Shareholders and a proxy statement containing a discussion of the background of, reasons for, and terms of the transactions described above. We urge you to read this material carefully. Included with these soliciting materials is a proxy card for voting, a postage prepaid envelope to return your proxy, and instructions for granting a proxy by telephone. Whether or not you plan to attend the Shareholder Meeting, we urge you to grant a proxy to vote your shares by completing, signing and dating the enclosed proxy card. If you attend the Shareholder Meeting, you may revoke your proxy if you vote in person. Your prompt cooperation will be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or need assistance in voting your shares, please call D.F. King & Co., Inc., which is assisting VIA NET.WORKS, toll-free at (800) 488-8075 or collect at (212) 269-5550. Very truly yours, Robert Michael McTighe Chairman of the Board of Directors [ ], 2005 VIA NET.WORKS, INC. NOTICE OF MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD [ ], 2005 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Special and Annual Meeting of Shareholders (including any adjournment or postponement thereof, the “Shareholder Meeting”) of the Company will be held on [ ], 2005 at [ ], at the Company’s offices located at H. Walaardt Sacréstraat 401 1117 BM Schiphol-Oost, The Netherlands, for the following purposes: (1) To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve and adopt the Sale and Purchase Agreement dated as of April 30, 2005 (the “Sale Agreement”), and the sale of substantially all the assets of the Company to Claranet Group Limited (“Claranet” or the “Purchaser”), and the assumption by the Purchaser of certain related liabilities pursuant to the Sale Agreement; (2) To consider and vote upon a proposal to approve and adopt the dissolution (the “Dissolution”) and the Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution of VIA (the “Plan of Dissolution”); (3) To elect two Class II directors to serve for a three-year term; (4) To authorize our board of directors to amend, at its discretion, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation by adopting one of two proposed amendments to effect a reverse stock split, either a one-for-ten reverse stock split or a one-for-twenty reverse stock split, of all the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock, par value $0.001 per share, without further approval of our shareholders, upon a determination by our board that a reverse stock split is in the best interests of our Company and our shareholders; and (5) To transact such other business as may properly come before the Shareholder Meeting, or any postponements or adjournments thereof. Please read carefully the accompanying proxy statement. A copy of the Sale Agreement is attached as Annex A to the proxy statement and a copy of the Plan of Dissolution is attached as Annex B to the proxy statement. The proxy statement and its appendices form a part of this Notice. Shareholders of record at the close of business on [ ], 2005 are eligible to vote at the meeting or any postponements or adjournments of the meeting. A complete list of shareholders entitled to vote will be available for inspection at the Company’s offices at H. Walaardt Sacréstraat 401 1117 BM Schiphol-Oost, The Netherlands for a period of ten days prior to the meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting in person, please complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy promptly in the accompanying reply envelope. If you grant a proxy by telephone, please follow the instructions on your proxy card. By doing so, you will help us ensure the presence of a quorum at the meeting and save VIA the expense and time required to solicit proxies. If you send your proxy, you will still be able to withdraw your proxy and vote your shares in person at the meeting if you wish. If you have any questions or need assistance in voting your shares, please call D.F. King & Co., Inc., which is assisting VIA NET.WORKS, toll-free at (800) 488-8075 or collect at (212) 269-5550. By Order of the Board of Directors Matt S. Nydell Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary [ ], 2005 VIA NET.WORKS, INC. PROXY STATEMENT FOR 2005 MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS This proxy statement contains information relating to the solicitation of proxies by the board of directors of VIA to be voted upon at the special and annual meeting of the shareholders of the Company to be held on [ ], 2005 at the Company’s offices located at H. Walaardt Sacréstraat 401 1117 BM Schiphol-Oost, The Netherlands beginning at [ ] Central European Time and at any postponements or adjournments of the meeting. These materials were first mailed on or about [ ], 2005 to all shareholders entitled to vote at the annual and special meeting. SUMMARY This Summary highlights information included elsewhere in this proxy statement. This summary may not contain all of the information you should consider before voting on the proposals presented in this proxy statement. You should read the entire proxy statement carefully, including the appendices attached hereto. For your convenience, we have included cross references to direct you to a more complete description of the topics described in this summary. In this proxy statement, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to VIA, unless the context otherwise requires. · The Asset Sale. We have agreed to sell substantially all of our assets to Claranet Group Limited for $26.4 million, less the amounts advanced to us under a $7.0 million working capital facility entered into when we agreed to the asset sale. Claranet, which is not affiliated with VIA, will acquire all of our business operations in the United States and Europe as well as certain assets and liabilities pertaining to our centralized back office and technical support systems, including employee contracts of certain headquarters personnel. We would retain all other debts and liabilities of the VIA corporate parent, including expenses relating to our headquarters office lease in Schiphol-Oost, The Netherlands, our senior executives and other headquarters staff, corporate vendors and professional advisors, and obligations to the sellers of the PSINet Europe and the Amen groups in connection with acquisitions we completed in 2004. Claranet paid us a deposit of $3.0 million against the purchase price when we entered into a letter of intent with respect to the asset sale. · Reasons for the Asset Sale. We agreed to sell substantially all of our assets to Claranet after evaluating the alternatives that were available to us to address an urgent liquidity problem. A combination of factors including unanticipated revenue shortfalls in certain of our legacy VIA companies and our new VIA Express business left us with insufficient cash reserves to continue our operations. We th