Organon Announces Pricing of Senior Notes Offering

On April 8, 2021 Organon Finance 1 LLC, a subsidiary of Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, reported that Organon Finance 1 LLC has priced its previously announced offering of €1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.875% senior secured notes due 2028 (the "euro secured notes"), $2,100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.125% senior secured notes due 2028 (the "U.S. dollar secured notes") and $2,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.125% senior unsecured notes due 2031 (the "unsecured notes" and together with the euro secured notes and U.S. dollar secured notes, the "notes"), in connection with the previously announced spinoff of Organon & Co. ("Organon") from Merck (Press release, Merck & Co, APR 8, 2021, View Source [SID1234577733]). As part of the spinoff, the notes will be assumed by Organon, and a Dutch private limited company and wholly owned subsidiary of Organon which will act as co-issuer of the notes.

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Organon intends to use the net proceeds from the notes offering, together with available cash on its balance sheet and borrowings under senior secured credit facilities which Organon anticipates entering into, to repay one or more intercompany loans or notes owed by Organon to a Merck affiliate and to pay fees and expenses related to the spinoff. The proceeds of the notes offering will be held in escrow until satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the spinoff and certain other escrow release conditions (the "Effective Date").

Each series of notes will be issued at an issue price of 100%. From and after the Effective Date, the euro secured notes and the U.S. dollar secured notes will be guaranteed on a senior secured basis, and the unsecured notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis, jointly and severally, by all of Organon’s existing or future subsidiaries that guarantee its proposed senior secured credit facilities. Prior to the Effective Date, each series of notes will be senior secured obligations solely of the Organon Finance 1 LLC, and will not be guaranteed by Organon or any of its subsidiaries.

The notes offering is expected to close on April 22, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

The notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), any state securities laws or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. Accordingly, the notes are being offered and sold only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

This announcement is an advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended, the "Prospectus Regulation") or Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulation").

In member states of the European Economic Area, this announcement is directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

Manufacturer target market (MiFID II product governance / UK MiFIR product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document has been prepared as not available to retail in the EEA. No UK PRIIPs key information document has been prepared as not available to retail in the UK.

In the United Kingdom, this announcement is directed only at persons (i) that have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order"); (ii) falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Order; or (iii) at whom this announcement may otherwise be directed without contravention of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.