Acosta Successfully Completes Reorganization and Recapitalization and Emerges from Chapter 11

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Acosta, Inc. ("Acosta" or the "Company"), a full-service sales and marketing agency, announced today that it has successfully completed its financial reorganization and recapitalization and emerged from Chapter 11 less than a month after filing. Through the process, Acosta eliminated all of its approximately $3 billion of long-term debt, and its new investors have funded $325 million in new equity capital.

The reorganized Company's largest shareholders include funds associated with Elliott Management, Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., Davidson Kempner, and Nexus Capital Management. The investor group is composed of funds that manage nearly $200 billion and have made a strategic decision to capitalize the business with the new equity capital and zero funded debt.

Acosta's new equity owners and investors recognize the long-term value the Company can create for its clients and customers and share Acosta's interest in driving the growth and value of the Acosta enterprise and brand. A newly reconstituted Board of Directors will be comprised of Acosta's CEO Darian Pickett, representatives from the new ownership group and other premier industry experts.

"We are starting this new year by launching an exciting new chapter for Acosta and our key stakeholders," said Darian Pickett, CEO of Acosta. "We are pleased that we have completed this process as quickly and efficiently as possible. We sincerely thank all of our employees, clients, customers and other business partners for their continued commitment to Acosta. We now have the strongest balance sheet in the industry. Looking ahead, our focus remains on working hard and delivering innovative advancements and industry-leading solutions in order to be the strongest possible partner for our clients and customers. As we embark into the future as a stronger Acosta, we will continue to build on our successes, while upholding our core values of integrity and trust, to better serve our clients and customers for years to come."

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel for the Company, PJT Partners, Inc. as financial advisor, and Alvarez & Marsal as restructuring advisor. White & Case LLP is acting as legal counsel for certain supporting creditors. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP is acting as legal counsel for certain other supporting creditors. Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP is acting as legal counsel for a minority group of first lien lenders. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal counsel for an ad hoc group of lenders and Centerview Partners is acting as financial advisor.

About Acosta
Acosta is the sales and marketing powerhouse behind most of the trusted brands seen in stores every day. The company provides a range of outsourced sales, marketing and retail merchandising services throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. For 90 years, Acosta has led the industry in helping consumer packaged goods companies move products off shelves and into shoppers' baskets. For more information, please visit www.acosta.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
In accordance with the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Acosta cautions that statements in this communication which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: negotiations with third parties; regulatory and other approvals; adverse changes in the markets in which Acosta operates or credit or capital markets; and actions by lenders, other creditors, clients, customers and other business counterparties of Acosta. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of Acosta's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, Acosta undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Contacts
Frances Jeter / Steven Goldberg
Sard Verbinnen & Co
832-680-5120 / 310-201-2040

SOURCE Acosta