December 10, 2001
AmeriPath Announces New Credit Facility
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gregory A. Marsh Michelle D. Getty Vice President & CFO
Investor Relations AmeriPath, Inc. AmeriPath, Inc. 561-712-6211
561-712-6260 E-mail: gmarsh@ameripath.com E-mail: invrel@ameripath.com
AMERIPATH ANNOUNCES NEW CREDIT FACILITY Riviera Beach,
FL, December 10, 2001 - AmeriPath, Inc. (Nasdaq: PATH),
a leading national provider of cancer diagnostics, genomic,
and related information services, announced that it has
entered into a new credit facility to provide for up
to $200 million for a term of five years. Under the facility,
the Company has committed funding of $140 million from
a syndicate of financial institutions led by Bank of
America, N.A. (Administrative Agent) and First Union
National Bank and Citibank (co-Syndication Agents). The
facility was co-arranged by Banc of America Securities,
LLC and Wachovia Securities, LLC. This facility provides
the Company with funding to further its presence, visibility,
and growth within the pathology marketplace and lower
overall interest costs.
James C. New, AmeriPath's Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer, stated, "This new facility reduces our overall
interest rate and provides us with the future debt capacity
to continue growing the business. In addition, the facility
rounds out our capital structure and allows us a greater
degree of financial flexibility. We are pleased to be
working with our new syndicate of banks."
Terry Katon, Managing Director of Banc of America Securities
LLC stated, "We are very pleased to step into a lead
credit relationship and have enjoyed a longstanding relationship
with AmeriPath. Following the Company's successful equity
offering, this new credit facility will provide capital
for AmeriPath's next phase of growth. We believe that
AmeriPath has the right management team and the capital
resources to execute its proven strategy."
The Company used the funds available under the new
facility to repay its existing credit facility. As disclosed
previously, the refinancing will result in the termination
of three interest rate swaps with a combined notional
amount of $105 million and the write off of unamortized
debt costs. The termination of these swaps will result
in a pre-tax special charge of approximately $11 million
($6.6 million after tax) and the write off of approximately
$1.7 million of unamortized debt costs during the fourth
quarter. This new facility, coupled with the Company's
annual cash flows from operations, will support the Company's
ability to continue acquiring pathology groups in targeted
markets, developing its Center for Advanced Diagnostics,
and establishing other de novo laboratories in strategic
markets. The interest rate at closing, based on the Company's
leverage ratio, is LIBOR plus 150 basis points.
AmeriPath is a leading national provider of cancer
diagnostics, genomic, and related information services.
In the first nine months of 2001, AmeriPath diagnosed
2.9 million tissue biopsies, and interpreted 1.6 million
Pap smears. The Company's extensive diagnostics infrastructure
includes 422 pathologists and doctorate-level scientists
providing services to 43 independent pathology laboratories,
237 hospitals, the Center for Advanced Diagnostics (CAD),
and Dermpath Diagnostics. CAD provides specialized diagnostic
testing and information services including Fluorescence
In-Situ Hybridization (FISH), Flow Cytometry, DNA Analysis,
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Molecular Genetics,
Cytogenetics, and HPV Typing. Dermpath Diagnostics, with
67 board-certified dermatopathologists, is the country's
leading provider of dermatopathology services in the
growing skin diagnostic testing market. Additionally,
AmeriPath provides clinical trial and research and development
support to firms involved in developing new cancer and
genomic diagnostics and therapeutics.
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The statements contained
in this press release include "forward-looking
statements'' within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements
- which are sometimes identified by words such as "may", "should", "believe'', "expect'', "anticipate'', "estimate" and
similar expressions and which include any financial or
operating estimates, forecasts or projections - are subject
to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which
involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the
Company's control. These risks and uncertainties could
cause actual results to differ materially from historical
results or from results anticipated by forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include: the
extent of success of the Company's operating initiatives
and growth strategies; ability to manage growth; access
to capital on satisfactory terms; general economic conditions;
a possible outbreak of hostilities or war; competition
and changes in competitive factors; federal and state
healthcare regulation (and compliance); reimbursement
rates under government and third party healthcare programs
and the payments received under such programs; changes
in coding; changes in technology; dependence upon pathologists
and customer contracts; the ability to attract, motivate,
and retain pathologists; labor and technology costs;
marketing and promotional efforts; the availability of
pathology practices in appropriate locations that the
Company is able to acquire on suitable terms or develop;
the successful completion and integration of acquisitions
(and achievement of planned or expected synergies); and
tax laws. The forward-looking statements in this press
release are made as of the date hereof based on management's
current beliefs and expectations, and the Company undertakes
no obligation to update or revise any such statements,
whether as result of new developments, new information
or otherwise. Further information regarding risks, uncertainties
and other factors that could affect the Company's financial
or operating results or that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those expected, estimated or
anticipated are included in the Company's annual, quarterly,
and other reports and filings with the SEC. Past performance
is not necessarily indicative of future results.
