Ball Corporation Prices $750 Million of Notes

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Feb. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) announced today that it priced an underwritten public offering of $750 million of 5.00% senior notes due March 15, 2022. The offering is expected to close on March 9, 2012, subject to market conditions and other factors.

Ball intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to pay the consideration, accrued and unpaid interest and related fees and expenses in connection with today's previously announced tender offer and related consent solicitation for any and all of its outstanding 6 5/8% Senior Notes due 2018, and for general corporate purposes.

BofA Merrill Lynch; Goldman, Sachs & Co.; J.P. Morgan; Deutsche Bank Securities; and Barclays Capital are acting as joint book-running managers of the offering.

Ball is making the offer under a shelf registration statement previously declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This offering will be made solely by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement, a copy of which may be obtained on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Ball, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to provide the prospectus if requested. To request a prospectus, call 1-800-294-1322.  

This announcement is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or a solicitation of consents with respect to any securities. No offer, solicitation, or sale will be made in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful.      

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion.   

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Corporation