Priceline.com Announces Proposed $875 Million Private Offering of Convertible Senior Notes and Authorization to Repurchase

Priceline.com Incorporated PCLN announced today its intention to offer, subject to market and other conditions, up to $875 million principal amount of Convertible Senior Notes due 2018 through a private offering to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In certain circumstances, the notes may be converted into cash up to their principal amount, and into shares of priceline.com common stock and/or cash at the Company's election for the conversion value above the principal amount, if any. Priceline.com plans to use the net proceeds from the offering of the notes to repurchase up to $200 million of its outstanding common stock in privately negotiated, off-market transactions, which may be effected through one or more of the initial purchasers of the notes or their respective affiliates, concurrently with the offering.  The net proceeds will also be used for general corporate purposes, which may include repurchasing shares of priceline.com common stock in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions from time to time, repaying outstanding debt and corporate acquisitions.