United Technologies Obtains Final Regulatory Approval For Rockwell Collins Acquisition

FARMINGTON, Conn., Nov. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- United Technologies Corp. UTX today announced that it has received the final regulatory approval needed to close its acquisition of Rockwell Collins, Inc. COL.

Today's conclusion of the regulatory review by China's State Administration for Market Regulation clears the way for United Technologies to proceed with the proposed acquisition announced on September 4, 2017. The acquisition is expected to close within three business days.

United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. To learn more about UTC, visit the website or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC

Cautionary Statement

This press release contains statements which, to the extent they are not statements of historical or present fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" under the securities laws. From time to time, oral or written forward-looking statements may also be included in other information released to the public. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide management's current expectations or plans for our future operating and financial performance, based on assumptions currently believed to be valid. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believe," "expect," "expectations," "plans," "strategy," "prospects," "estimate," "project," "target," "anticipate," "will," "should," "see," "guidance," "outlook," "confident" and other words of similar meaning in connection with a discussion of future operating or financial performance. Forward-looking statements may include, among other things, statements relating to future sales, earnings, cash flow, results of operations, uses of cash, share repurchases, tax rates and other measures of financial performance or potential future plans, strategies or transactions of United Technologies or the combined company following United Technologies' pending acquisition of Rockwell Collins, the anticipated benefits of the pending acquisition, including estimated synergies, the expected timing of financing and completion of the transaction and other statements that are not historical facts. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, without limitation: (1) the effect of economic conditions in the industries and markets in which United Technologies and Rockwell Collins operate in the U.S. and globally and any changes therein, including financial market conditions, fluctuations in commodity prices, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates, levels of end market demand in construction and in both the commercial and defense segments of the aerospace industry, levels of air travel, financial condition of commercial airlines, the impact of weather conditions and natural disasters and the financial condition of our customers and suppliers; (2) challenges in the development, production, delivery, support, performance and realization of the anticipated benefits of advanced technologies and new products and services; (3) the scope, nature, impact or timing of the pending Rockwell Collins acquisition and other acquisition and divestiture or restructuring activity, including among other things integration of acquired businesses into United Technologies' existing businesses and realization of synergies and opportunities for growth and innovation; (4) future timing and levels of indebtedness, including indebtedness incurred by United Technologies in connection with the pending Rockwell Collins acquisition, and capital spending and research and development spending, including in connection with the pending Rockwell Collins acquisition; (5) future availability of credit and factors that may affect such availability, including credit market conditions and our capital structure; (6) the timing and scope of future repurchases of United Technologies' common stock, which may be suspended at any time due to various factors, including market conditions and the level of other investing activities and uses of cash, including in connection with the pending acquisition of Rockwell Collins; (7) delays and disruption in delivery of materials and services from suppliers; (8) company and customer-directed cost reduction efforts and restructuring costs and savings and other consequences thereof; (9) new business and investment opportunities; (10) our ability to realize the intended benefits of organizational changes; (11) the anticipated benefits of diversification and balance of operations across product lines, regions and industries; (12) the outcome of legal proceedings, investigations and other contingencies; (13) pension plan assumptions and future contributions; (14) the impact of the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and labor disputes; (15) the effect of changes in political conditions in the U.S. and other countries in which United Technologies and Rockwell Collins operate, including the effect of changes in U.S. trade policies or the U.K.'s pending withdrawal from the EU, on general market conditions, global trade policies and currency exchange rates in the near term and beyond; (16) the effect of changes in tax (including U.S. tax reform enacted on December 22, 2017, which is commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017), environmental, regulatory (including among other things import/export) and other laws and regulations in the U.S. and other countries in which United Technologies and Rockwell Collins operate; (17) the ability of United Technologies and Rockwell Collins to satisfy the conditions to the closing of the pending acquisition on a timely basis or at all; (18) the occurrence of events that may give rise to a right of one or both of United Technologies or Rockwell Collins to terminate the merger agreement; (19) negative effects of the announcement or the completion of the merger on the market price of United Technologies' and/or Rockwell Collins' common stock and/or on their respective financial performance; (20) risks related to Rockwell Collins and United Technologies being restricted in their operation of their businesses while the merger agreement is in effect; (21) risks relating to the value of the United Technologies' shares to be issued in connection with the pending Rockwell Collins acquisition, significant merger costs and/or unknown liabilities; (22) risks associated with third party contracts containing consent and/or other provisions that may be triggered by the Rockwell Collins merger agreement; (23) risks associated with merger-related litigation; and (24) the ability of United Technologies and Rockwell Collins, or the combined company, to retain and hire key personnel. There can be no assurance that United Technologies' pending acquisition of Rockwell Collins or any other transaction described above will in fact be consummated in the manner described or at all. For additional information on identifying factors that may cause actual results to vary materially from those stated in forward-looking statements, see the reports of United Technologies and Rockwell Collins on Forms S-4, 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K filed with or furnished to the SEC from time to time. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made, and United Technologies and Rockwell Collins assume no obligation to update or revise such statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. In addition, in connection with the pending Rockwell Collins acquisition, UTC has filed a registration statement, that includes a prospectus from UTC and a proxy statement from Rockwell Collins, which is effective and contains important information about UTC, Rockwell Collins, the transaction and related matters.

Additional Information

In connection with the proposed transaction, United Technologies has filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-220883), which includes a prospectus of United Technologies and a proxy statement of Rockwell Collins (the "proxy statement/prospectus"), and each party will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC.  The proxy statement/prospectus was declared effective by the SEC and was mailed to Rockwell Collins shareowners.  INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.  Investors and security holders may obtain the proxy statement/prospectus free of charge from the SEC's website or from United Technologies or Rockwell Collins.  The documents filed by United Technologies with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at United Technologies' website at www.utc.com or at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.  These documents may also be obtained free of charge from United Technologies by requesting them by mail at UTC Corporate Secretary, 10 Farm Springs Road, Farmington, CT, 06032, by telephone at 1‑860‑728‑7870 or by email at corpsec@corphq.utc.com.  The documents filed by Rockwell Collins with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at Rockwell Collins' website at www.rockwellcollins.com or at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.  These documents may also be obtained free of charge from Rockwell Collins by requesting them by mail at Investor Relations, 400 Collins Road NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52498, or by telephone at 1-319-295-7575.

No Offer or Solicitation

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, 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 offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

UTC-IR          

SOURCE United Technologies Corp.