New York – (June 5, 2007) – eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD), a leader in electronic marketplaces and related trading technology for the global capital markets, today announced that Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of eSpeed, will present an overview of the proposed merger between eSpeed and BGC Partners, Inc. (“BGC) and the outlook for the combined company at Sandler O’Neill & Partners, L.P.’s 2007 eBrokerage and Global Exchange Conference in New York City. He will present on Thursday June 7, 2007, at 10:15 a.m. EDT.
A webcast of the presentation will be broadcast over the internet and can be accessed live or as a replay via the “Conferences” section athttp://www.sandleroneill.com or in the “Investor Info” section ofwww.espeed.com. Please note: listeners should log on at least ten minutes early to register, and must have a Real Media or Windows Media plug in and headphones or speakers to listen to the webcast.
Important Information
In connection with the proposed merger, the Company intends to file a proxy statement and related materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for the meeting of stockholders to vote on the proposed Merger. BECAUSE THOSE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION, HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY’S COMMON STOCK ARE URGED TO READ THEM CAREFULLY, IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE. When filed with the SEC, the proxy statement and related materials will be available for free (along with any other documents and reports filed by the Company with the SEC) at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, and at the Company’s website, www.espeed.com.
Participant Information
The Company and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the Company’s stockholders in connection with the proposed Merger. Certain information regarding the participants and their interests in the solicitation are set forth in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, which was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2007, and will be set forth in the proxy statement for the Company’s meeting of stockholders to vote on the proposed Merger. Stockholders may obtain additional information regarding the proposed Merger by reading the proxy statement and the related materials relating to the proposed Merger, if and when they become available.
About eSpeed and BGC
eSpeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ESPD) is a leader in developing and deploying electronic marketplaces and related trading technology that offers traders access to the most liquid, efficient and neutral financial markets in the world. eSpeed operates multiple buyer, multiple seller real-time electronic marketplaces for the global capital markets, including the world’s largest government bond markets and other fixed income and foreign exchange marketplaces. eSpeed’s suite of marketplace tools provides end-to-end transaction solutions for the purchase and sale of financial products over eSpeed’s global private network or via the Internet. eSpeed’s neutral platform, reliable network, straight-through processing and superior products make it a trusted source for electronic trading at the world’s largest fixed income and foreign exchange trading firms and major exchanges.
For more information, please visit www.espeed.com.
BGC is a leading inter-dealer broker, providing integrated voice and electronic execution and other brokerage services to banks, brokerage houses and investment banks for a broad range of global financial products, including fixed income securities, foreign exchange, equity derivatives, credit derivatives, futures, structured products and other instruments, as well as market data products for selected financial instruments. Named after fixed income trading innovator B. Gerald Cantor, BGC has offices in the U.S., U.K. and France as well as Geneva, Copenhagen, Nyon, Milan, Mexico City, Beijing (representative office), Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney, Toronto, South Korea and Turkey.
To learn more, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.
Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements
The information in this release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are based upon current expectations that involve risks and uncertainties. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. For example, words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” “strategy,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
The actual results of eSpeed, BGC or the combined company (“we”, “our” or the “combined company”) and the outcome and timing of certain events may differ significantly from the expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy for eSpeed, BGC and/or the combined company include, but are not limited to, the combined company’s relationship with Cantor and its affiliates and any related conflicts of interests, competition for and retention of brokers and other managers and key employees, pricing and commissions and market position with respect to any of our products, and that of the combined company’s respective competitors, the effect of industry concentration and consolidation, and market conditions, including trading volume and volatility, as well as economic or geopolitical conditions or uncertainties.
Results may also be impacted by the extensive regulation of our respective businesses and risks relating to compliance matters, as well as factors related to specific transactions or series of transactions, including credit, performance and unmatched principal risk as well as counterparty failure. Factors may also include the costs and expenses of developing, maintaining and protecting intellectual property, including judgments or settlements paid or received in connection with intellectual property or employment or other litigation and their related costs, and certain financial risks, including the possibility of future losses and negative cash flow from operations, risks of obtaining financing and risks of the resulting leverage, as well as interest and currency rate fluctuations.
Discrepancies may also result from such factors as the ability to enter new markets or develop new products, trading desks, marketplaces or services and to induce customers to use these products, trading desks, marketplaces or services, to secure and maintain market share, to enter into marketing and strategic alliances, and other transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, reorganizations, partnering opportunities, and joint ventures, and the integration of any completed transactions, to hire new personnel, to expand the use of technology for screenassisted, voice-assisted and fully electronic trading and to effectively manage any growth that may be achieved. Results are also subject to risks relating to the proposed Merger, separation of the BGC businesses and the relationship between the various entities, financial reporting, accounting and internal control factors, including identification of any material weaknesses in our internal controls, our ability to prepare historical and pro forma financial statements and reports in a timely manner, and other factors, including those that are discussed under “Risk Factors” in each of eSpeed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 filed with the SEC on March 15, 2007 and BGC’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on February 8, 2007 (Registration No. 333-140531) to the extent applicable.
We believe that all forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions when ade. However, we caution that it is impossible to predict actual results or outcomes or the ffects of risks, uncertainties or other factors on anticipated results or outcomes and that ccordingly you should not place undue reliance on these statements. Forward-looking tatements speak only as of the date when made and we undertake no obligation to update these tatements in light of subsequent events or developments.
Contacts:
Media (US): Media (UK):
Robert Hubbell Adrian Thomas
212-294-7820 44-207-894-8647
Rhubbell@BGCPartners.com AThomas@BGCPartners.com
Investors:
Jason McGruder
BGC/eSpeed
212-829-4988
jmcgruder@espeed.com