DFAN14A: Definitive additional proxy soliciting materials filed by non-management including Rule 14(a)(12) material
Published on May 14, 2008
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
SCHEDULE 14A
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VAALCO
ENERGY, INC.
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(Name
of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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NANES
DELORME PARTNERS I LP
NANES
BALKANY PARTNERS LLC
NANES
BALKANY MANAGEMENT LLC
JULIEN
BALKANY
DARYL
NANES
LEONARD
TOBOROFF
CLARENCE
COTTMAN III
|
(Name
of Persons(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other Than the
Registrant)
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Filed:
On May 7,
2008, Nanes Delorme Partners I LP (“Nanes Delorme Partners”), together with the
other participants named herein, filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) a definitive proxy statement and an accompanying GOLD proxy
card to be used to solicit votes for the election of its nominees at the 2008
annual meeting of stockholders of VAALCO Energy Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
Item 1:
On May 14, 2008, Nanes Delorme Partners issued the following press
release:
Nanes
Delorme Partners Sends Second Letter to VAALCO Stockholders
Wednesday
May 14, 9:51 am ET
Urges
Stockholders to Vote for Minority Slate of Director Nominees Committed to
Corporate Governance Reforms and Conducting Review of Strategic
Alternatives
Calls
VAALCO Lawsuit Desperate and Baseless
Launches
Website Resource for Stockholders www.ImproveVAALCO.com
NEW
YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nanes Delorme Partners I L.P. (“Nanes Delorme Partners”)
today sent the following letter to VAALCO Energy, Inc. (“VAALCO” or the
“Company”) (NYSE: EGY - News) stockholders,
urging them to vote for its minority slate of highly qualified, independent
director nominees at VAALCO’s Annual Meeting on June 4, 2008. The Nanes Delorme
Partners director nominees are Mr. Julien Balkany, Mr. Leonard Toboroff and Mr.
Clarence Cottman III.
Nanes
Delorme also announced the launch of a website for VAALCO stockholders, www.ImproveVAALCO.com.
Stockholders are urged to read the materials posted on the website because it
contains information regarding the proxy contest, biographies of the three
independent Board nominees and various other communications materials that
address VAALCO’s poor
performance.
Julien
Balkany, a Managing Member of Nanes Balkany Partners LLC, the General Partner of
Nanes Delorme Partners, stated: “We believe that VAALCO has great potential, but
that the Company will continue to materially underperform without new
independent representatives on the Board. In addition, rather than provide a
clear strategic plan to rebuild stockholder value, the Company has chosen to
evade the critical issues facing VAALCO by filing a desperate and baseless
lawsuit aimed at disenfranchising stockholders and “chilling” the democratic
process and to defend its failures by launching a campaign rooted in misleading
facts and unnecessary scare tactics designed to distract stockholders from the
Company’s poor performance. We believe the current incumbent directors – most of
who own little to no stock in the Company – will say and do just about anything
to entrench its members, protect its own interests and ignore the legitimate
concerns of stockholders.”
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Mr.
Balkany continued, “As an
independent hedge fund with various limited partners and multiple
investments, Nanes Delorme Partners saw in VAALCO a company significantly
undervalued and severely mismanaged. We have always been clear that
proactive steps, like a review of strategic alternatives that could result
in the public auction of the Company, are necessary because of the
Board’s
lack of sincere interest in improving the Company’s operating
performance, corporate governance structure and overall lack of commitment
to enhancing stockholder value.”
Mr.
Balkany added, “VAALCO’s dismal performance under the current Board and
management is undeniable. The Company’s 2007 year-end net earnings were
down more than 50% compared to 2006 and the Company’s first quarter 2008
net earnings decreased approximately 60% compared to 1Q 2007. We were very
disappointed that, in an era where the price of oil has reached record
levels and where the Company sold its production for a 65% higher price,
that the Company reported a nearly 60% decline in net income in 1Q 2008
and blamed these poor results on the excuse of ‘higher
taxes’.”
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Mr.
Balkany finally noted, “We strongly believe that without change to the Board,
the Company’s value will continue to erode. Indeed, during the past 18 months
prior to our involvement, VAALCO’s stock was down 32%. If elected, our highly
qualified independent directors will comprise a minority of the VAALCO Board and
are committed to working with the other directors to enact corporate governance
reforms and to conducting a review of strategic alternatives to maximize value
for all VAALCO stockholders.”
The text
of the letter follows:
NANES
DELORME PARTNERS I LP
May 14,
2008
Dear
Fellow Stockholders,
As you are aware, we are
seeking your support to elect Julien Balkany, Leonard Toboroff and Clarence
Cottman III, our three highly qualified, independent director nominees at
VAALCO’s Annual Meeting on June 4. If elected, our minority slate of
directors will represent the interests of all stockholders and intend to take
steps to improve corporate governance and retain a top tier investment bank to
evaluate and explore all strategic alternatives for maximizing stockholder
value, including, but not be limited to, core asset divestments, alternative
listings, mergers and/or the sale of the entire Company.
VAALCO
HAS MATERIALLY UNDERPERFORMED UNDER THIS BOARD’S LEADERSHIP – STOCKHOLDERS
DESERVE BETTER
We have been forced
into this solicitation because our repeated attempts to ensure that stockholder
concerns about VAALCO’s current strategic direction and recent disastrous
performance have been completely ignored. As you have probably also realized by
now, rather than provide a clear strategic
plan to rebuild shareholder value, management has chosen to evade the critical
issues facing VAALCO and to defend its failures by launching a campaign rooted
in misleading facts and unnecessary scare tactics designed to distract
stockholders from the Company’s poor performance.
Nanes
Delorme Partners I LP is a limited partnership that was formed in January 2008
for the purpose of investing primarily in publicly traded securities of oil and
gas companies. We have no “secret partners” as the Board misleadingly suggests.
In addition to VAALCO, Nanes Delorme Partners holds significant positions in
several other publicly listed companies. Do not be fooled by the Board’s scare
tactics – if elected we will be a MINORITY of the Board and our goal
is to work with the remaining members of the Board to increase value for all
stockholders.
DO
NOT BE MISLED BY THE COMPANY’S DESPERATE EFFORTS TO DISTRACT YOU FROM THE REAL
ISSUES
We are also extremely
disappointed that the incumbent directors -- most of whom own little to
no stock in the Company -- have displayed a clear lack of interest in improving
the Company’s strategic direction, operating performance and corporate
governance and have shown an overall lack of commitment to enhancing stockholder
value. As VAALCO’s largest stockholder, we have made every effort to work
constructively with current management, but we now believe that change at the
Board level is necessary.
NANES
DELORME PARTNERS’ MINORITY SLATE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR CHANGE – LET’S PUT AN END TO THE STATUS
QUO
We
believe the current Board will say and do just about anything to entrench its
members, protect its own interests and ignore the concerns of stockholders.
Consider the following:
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The Board offered Julien
Balkany, one of our nominees, a board seat in the hope of convincing us to
abandon our solicitation. On April 21, a mere three days before it
filed its proxy materials, the Company presented us with an unsolicited settlement
agreement offering to appoint Julien Balkany to the
Board.
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After Nanes DeLorme Partners rejected
the settlement offer, the Board immediately filed false and misleading proxy
material and has been critical of Mr. Balkany. In fact, on May 8, 2008,
the Company sent a letter to stockholders outlining certain concerns with us and
with Mr. Balkany in particular. What changed in the two weeks since the Board
offered to appoint Mr. Balkany as a director? Why is management disparaging a
nominee that, a short while ago, it was all too eager to appoint to the Board
if we would abandon
our proxy fight in return? We are confident that stockholders who have suffered
through VAALCO’s consistent poor performance will see through this desperate
ploy.
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The Company claims that no
“bona fide” offers to provide stockholders with “full and fair value” have
been received. We call on the Company to truthfully disclose
whether it has been approached by third parties regarding a corporate
transaction or received any proposals within the last 12
months.
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Stockholders
should determine whether an offer is fair and in their best interests, not a
self-serving Board whose members keep their jobs by rejecting all
offers.
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The Board claims to act in
stockholders best interests, but with a poison pill, a classified
Board, supermajority voting provisions and provisions permitting directors
to only be removed from office for cause, who are these provisions in
place to protect?
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We
wonder, what purposes do these provisions serve, other to ensure the
entrenchment of the Board and block legitimate corporate action?
THIS
BOARD WANTS IMMUNITY – NOT ACCOUNTABILITY!
This is a Board that will
seemingly say and do anything to remain entrenched in office, even if its
actions come at the expense of stockholders’ best interests. Other than to
distract stockholders from its own failures, why else would the Board and
management choose to waste its time and effort delivering letters to
stockholders describing people and events that have little to nothing to do with
us, our Nominees, or more importantly, the Company’s poor performance under
this Board and management!
VAALCO’S
DISMAL PERFORMANCE NUMBERS TELL THE TRUE STORY
The Board presents itself
over the last six month, one, three and five year periods as a “consistent
outperformer” of both its peer group and the S&P 500 Index. We
believe this statement to be blatantly misleading. What about oil prices? What
about the S&P 500 Oil & Gas E&P Index? The truth is, VAALCO has
significantly underperformed all the relevant benchmarks.
Until
Nanes Delorme Partners’ public involvement in March of this year, VAALCO’s stock
performance was extremely disappointing. In fact,
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·
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In
the one year
period ending on
March 11, the date we went public with our concerns, VAALCO’s stock was
down 7% while the S&P 500 Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production Index was up 62%.
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·
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In
the eighteen
month period ending on
March 11, VAALCO’s stock was
down 32% while the S&P 500 Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production Index was up 70%.
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·
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In
the two year
period ending on
March 11, VAALCO’s stock was
down 22% while the S&P 500 Oil and Gas Exploration and
Production Index was up 74%.
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Since
March 11, the date our investment and interest in VAALCO was first publicly
announced, VAALCO’s stock is up approximately 44%. Also since March 11,
the Company has made three public announcements, (i) on March 13th to release
its year end earnings for 2007 which are down more than 50% compared to its net
earnings in 2006; (ii) on May 8th to offer stockholders a collection of
scattered, unsubstantiated points and unwarranted attacks on us; and (iii) on
May 9th to announce that the Company missed 1Q08 earnings by 17 cents, which
represent a decrease of approximately 60% compared to its net earnings in 2007.
We believe the increase is clearly not based on Company developments, but rather
on the strong hope by stockholders that new board members will work to cause
immediate and substantial changes in the Company.
VAALCO
claims that we have attempted to use “complicated formulas and analyses to imply
that the Company’s stock price and EBITDA have underperformed;” and instead
suggests that the Company is one whose growth should be measured through the
drill bit.
In fact,
according to management, over the last 18 months, “your Board and management team have
laid the foundation necessary for significant increases in reserves and
production.” However, it seems to us that no complex formulas or analyses
are needed to see that during
the past 18 months prior to our involvement, despite strong conditions in the
oil and gas business, VAALCO’s stock was down an astonishing
32%.
VAALCO’S
1Q 2008 REINFORCES THE FACT THAT CHANGE IS NECESSARY –THE COMPANY MISSED ITS NET
EARNINGS PER SHARE
BY 17 CENTS
VAALCO
claims that it is exceptionally well-positioned for continued growth and
success, yet first quarter results show that net income decreased from $4.6
million or 8 cents per share, on revenue of $29.1 million in first quarter 2007
to $1.8 million, or 3 cents per share, on revenue of $42.2 million in first
quarter 2008, a decrease of approximately 60%. In an era where the price of oil
has reached record levels, and where the Company sold its production for a 65%
higher price, we are very frustrated by a nearly 60% decline in net
income.
In light
of such failure, how can the Board and management claim with a straight face
that they have a pattern of delivering consistent growth in revenues, cash flows
and earnings? Once again, the Board and management have demonstrated that they
are willing to say anything regardless of the underlying facts.
In the
1Q08 earnings call, the Chairman and CEO of Vaalco noted: “our earnings per
share fell a little short of what we had hoped for” and blamed the results on
“high tax.” The excuses offered by management are never ending. What counts is
performance.
MAYBE
THIS EXPLAINS WHY SO MANY OF THE INCUMBENT BOARD MEMBERS CHOOSE NOT TO INVEST IN
VAALCO SHARES
Why
should stockholders believe management’s pronouncements that
the Company is in good hands when W. Russell Scheirman,
the President and CFO since 1992, owns only 694 shares,
and in the past two years has exercised options to acquire a total of
approximately 530,000 shares over 18 separate occasions, and has sold each share
purchased, keeping not one share?
How can
stockholders trust that the Board’s and management’s interests are aligned with
stockholders when five of the seven incumbent directors actually own 1,000 or
fewer shares each? Where is the Board’s faith in the Company if three incumbent
directors actually own no shares?
AS
THE COMPANY’S LARGEST STOCKHOLDER, OUR GOALS ARE COMPLETELY ALIGNED WITH YOURS –
TO CREATE VALUE FOR ALL STOCKHOLDERS
As the Company’s largest
stockholder, our interests are clearly aligned with yours in our efforts
to elect a minority slate to the VAALCO Board. Our three nominees are all highly
successful business people with deep expertise and knowledge of the oil and gas
industry who are committed to oversee an effort to maximize stockholder value.
We do not intend to acquire the Company. If elected, our nominees will work
diligently with management and the remaining members of the Board
to:
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·
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Create
an independent special committee, assisted by a top tier investment bank,
to evaluate and explore all strategic alternatives for maximizing
stockholder value, including, but not be limited to, core asset
divestments, alternative listings, mergers and/or the sale of the entire
Company.
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·
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Discontinue
further expansion in the North Sea Region and refocus VAALCO’s efforts and
resources on the Company’s core assets in Gabon and
Angola;
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Take
all the appropriate measures to reduce the Company’s administrative costs
and close the Company’s office in Aberdeen
(UK);
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Improve
the Company’s corporate governance by redeeming the Shareholders Rights
Plan, eliminating VAALCO’s anti-takeover provisions, declassifying the
staggered board and separating the role of Chairman and
CEO;
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·
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Commence
a process to identify and appoint a qualified Chief Operating Officer to
strengthen management; and
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·
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Tie
management compensation more directly to the creation of stockholder value
and hold management and the Board more accountable for the Company’s
performance.
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If
elected, our nominees will represent a minority of the VAALCO Board and cannot,
by themselves, force the implementation of any one strategic
alternative.
WE
BELIEVE THE STATUS QUO IS ERODING STOCKHOLDER VALUE
SEND
THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE UNWILLING TO LET YOUR INVESTMENT SUFFERS FROM
IRRESPONSIBLE OVERSIGHT
We urge to you sign, date and return
the enclosed GOLD proxy card today. Even if
you have already voted for the Company’s slate, you have every right to
change your mind.
Simply sign and date the GOLD
proxy card, - only the latest dated proxy card you return will be
counted.
Your vote is very important,
regardless of how many shares you own. If you have any questions or need
assistance in filling out your GOLD proxy card, please call our proxy
solicitors, Mackenzie Partners, Inc., toll free at (800) 322-2885.
We thank
you for your consideration and look forward to the responsibility of maximizing
value for all VAALCO stockholders.
Sincerely,
Julien
Balkany
Nanes
Delorme Partners I LP
ATTENTION
VAALCO STOCKHOLDERS: VOTE THE GOLD PROXY TODAY!
IF YOU
HAVE ALREADY RETURNED A WHITE PROXY, YOU HAVE
EVERY
RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR VOTE. TO CHANGE,
SIMPLY
EXECUTE THE ENCLOSED GOLD PROXY CARD.
IF YOU
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, OR NEED ASSISTANCE IN VOTING YOUR
GOLD
PROXY CARD, PLEASE CONTACT THE FIRM ASSISTING US IN THIS
SOLICITATION:
Mackenzie
Partners, Inc.
105
Madison Avenue
New York,
New York 10016
(212)
929-5500 (Call Collect)
proxy@mackenziepartners.com
or
CALL TOLL
FREE (800) 322-2885
About
Nanes Delorme Partners I LP
Nanes
Delorme Partners I LP is U.S.-based hedge fund that invests primarily in the oil
and gas exploration and production sector. Nanes Delorme Partners I LP pursues
active investments in publicly traded companies that it believes are trading at
a significant discount to their intrinsic values or where one or more potential
catalysts exist that could materially unlock the inherent value of those
companies.
The
General Partner of Nanes Delorme Partners I LP is Nanes Balkany Partners
LLC.
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