ICE and Gasunie Announce Transaction for the Derivatives and Spot Gas Business of APX-ENDEX

LONDON, AMSTERDAM, and GRONINGEN, Netherlands, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of global regulated futures exchanges, clearing houses and over-the-counter markets, and gas infrastructure company Gasunie today announced an agreement to form a new company based on the derivatives and spot gas exchange of APX-ENDEX. ICE has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the derivatives and spot gas business of APX-ENDEX and Gasunie will retain a shareholding at a similar level to its current APX-ENDEX shareholding.

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The agreement follows today's announcement that APX-ENDEX will rearrange and demerge its business into two separate entities: a power spot and clearing business and a derivatives and spot natural gas business. The gas business includes derivatives and spot trading around the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) Virtual Trading Point in the Netherlands - one of continental Europe's leading natural gas trading hubs, as well as the UK On-the-Day Commodity Market (OCM) and the Belgian Zeebrugge Trading Point (ZTP) to launch at the end of September.

Under the terms of the agreement, ICE will acquire 79.12% of the derivatives and spot gas business of APX-ENDEX. Gasunie, as an existing shareholder of APX-ENDEX, will retain the remaining 20.88% stake. The transaction consideration for ICE will be funded by cash on hand and the transaction is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2013.

ICE and Gasunie recognise the important and strategic role that natural gas plays in the current and future energy requirements of Europe. As well as providing an efficient and alternative energy source for the region, natural gas also facilitates the development of a low-carbon economy for the future.

"The acquisition of a majority stake in APX-ENDEX's derivatives and spot gas business enables ICE to strengthen our offering to customers in continental Europe by providing a comprehensive energy marketplace and represents a significant step in expanding ICE's global commodity markets.  As an important energy trading hub and a strong European economy, the Netherlands is an ideal geographical location for ICE's expansion into continental Europe. The derivatives and spot gas business will benefit from ICE's world class trading and clearing expertise," said David Peniket, President & Chief Operating Officer, ICE Futures Europe.

"We are delighted to partner with Gasunie, an experienced and important company in the European gas infrastructure industry, to embark on this new strategic venture. Together, we intend to further develop a highly liquid and efficient continental European platform for hedging and trading in the gas and power markets, as well as providing intra-day and balancing mechanisms for TTF and ZTP, the UK OCM and other spot gas markets," added Peniket.

"The partnership with ICE is a significant step and provides the best outcome for shareholders, members and participants of the exchange. Gasunie is very happy to partner with ICE based on its role as a leading provider and trading platform for global commodity markets and its world-class technology and clearing capabilities. Gasunie and ICE share a commitment to further develop a liquid, transparent and secure gas market for customers in Europe and around the world. This is a positive development for traders, suppliers and consumers in the gas market," said Paul van Gelder, CEO of Gasunie.

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and certain closing conditions. Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking advised ICE on the transaction and Shearman & Sterling LLP and Loyens & Loeff N.V. served as ICE's legal advisors.

Notes to Editor

(1)   Nothing in this announcement is intended to be a profit forecast and the statements in this press release should not be interpreted to mean that the earnings per share of IntercontintentalExchange common stock for the current or future financial periods will necessarily be greater or lower than those for the relevant preceding financial period

About IntercontinentalExchange

IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE) is a leading operator of regulated futures exchanges and over-the-counter markets for agricultural, credit, currency, emissions, energy and equity index contracts. ICE Futures Europe hosts trade in half of the world's crude and refined oil futures. ICE Futures U.S. and ICE Futures Canada list agricultural, currencies and Russell Index markets. ICE is also a leading operator of central clearing services for the futures and over-the-counter markets, with five regulated clearing houses across North America and Europe. ICE serves customers in more than 70 countries. www.theice.com  

The following are trademarks of IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies: IntercontinentalExchange, ICE, ICE and block design, ICE Futures Europe and ICE Clear Europe. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information regarding registered trademarks owned by IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies, see https://www.theice.com/terms.jhtml

About Gasunie

Gasunie is a European gas infrastructure company. Gasunie's network ranks among the largest high pressure gas pipeline grids in Europe, consisting of over 15,000 kilometers of pipeline in the Netherlands and northern Germany, dozens of installations and approximately 1,300 gas receiving stations. The annual gas throughput totals approximately 127 billion cubic meters. Gasunie offers transport services via its subsidiaries Gas Transport Services B.V. (GTS) in the Netherlands and Gasunie Deutschland in Germany. The company also offers other services in the gas infrastructure field, including gas storage and LNG.

ICE Safe Harbor Statement

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - Statements in this press release regarding IntercontinentalExchange's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see ICE's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors in ICE's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, as filed with the SEC on February 8, 2012, and ICE's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, as filed with the SEC on August 1, 2012.

ICE-CORP

SOURCE IntercontinentalExchange