Apollo Education Group Inc (APO) Shareholders Approve Merger Agreement to be Acquired by Consortium of Investors

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Apollo Education Group Inc (APO) Shareholders Approve Merger Agreement to be Acquired by Consortium of Investors

PHOENIX & NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apollo Education Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: APOL) today announced that its shareholders have approved the merger agreement for the proposed acquisition by a consortium of investors, including The Vistria Group, LLC, funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC (NYSE: APO) and the Najafi Companies.

“We appreciate the support from our shareholders in approving this transaction”

More than 63 percent of the Class A shares voted at Apollo Education Group’s Special Meeting of Shareholders today voted in favor of the transaction, representing approximately 54 percent of all outstanding Class A shares. One hundred percent of Class B shares voted in favor of the proposals. At completion of the merger, Apollo Education Group shareholders will receive $10.00 per share in cash.

“We appreciate the support from our shareholders in approving this transaction,” said Greg Cappelli, Chief Executive Officer of Apollo Education Group. “This has been a robust process in which our Board of Directors reviewed many strategic alternatives and found this transaction to be in the best interest of all stakeholders. We believe this new ownership structure will allow Apollo Education Group to continue to transform University of Phoenix, further expand our global operations, drive operational efficiency and serve as the leading provider of high quality education for working adults.”

Tony Miller, Partner at The Vistria Group who will become Chairman of the Apollo Education Group upon transaction close, said, “We are committed to making University of Phoenix the most trusted provider of career-relevant higher education for working adults in the country. We have a vision for how to dramatically improve student outcomes, while addressing the concerns from critics of the for-profit education industry. It remains our belief that success is rooted in graduating students with the knowledge and skills that employers need, in an affordable way that ensures a compelling return on their educational investment.”

The transaction is subject to financial, operational and customary closing conditions. It is also subject to foreign and domestic regulatory conditions and approvals, including by the U.S. Department of Education, the Higher Learning Commission, and state regulatory and programmatic accreditation bodies. The acquisition is expected to be completed by year-end 2016.

About Apollo Education Group, Inc.

Apollo Education Group, Inc. is one of the world’s largest private education providers, serving students since 1973. Through its subsidiaries, Apollo Education Group offers undergraduate, graduate, professional development, and other non-degree educational programs and services, online and on-campus principally to working learners. Its educational programs and services are offered throughout the United States and in Europe, Australia, Latin America, Africa and Asia, as well as online throughout the world. For more information about Apollo Education Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, call (800) 990-APOL or visit the Company’s website at www.apollo.edu.

About The Vistria Group

The Vistria Group is a Chicago, Ill.-based private investment firm focused on investing in middle market companies in the healthcare, education and financial services sectors. Vistria’s team is comprised of highly experienced operating partners and private equity executives with proven track records of working with management teams in building innovative market leading companies.

About Apollo Global Management

Apollo Global Management, LLC is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Bethesda, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Apollo Global Management had assets under management of approximately $173 billion as of March 31, 2016 in private equity, credit and real estate funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo Global Management has considerable knowledge and resources. Affiliates of Apollo Global Management have significant experience managing investments in the education sector with current and former private equity fund investments in leading companies, including McGraw Hill Education, Connections Academy and Sylvan Learning Centers. The portfolio companies owned by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management are managed and operate independently from one another. For more information about Apollo, please visit www.agm.com.

About Najafi Companies

Najafi Companies is an international private investment firm based in Phoenix, Ariz., targeting education, media, consumer products, internet services and direct marketing sectors. The firm makes highly selective investments in companies with strong management teams across a variety of industries, often in areas undergoing rapid transformation. Najafi Companies funds its investments with internally generated capital, not through a fund. The firm is able to move quickly and decisively when investing and make investments that create maximum value for the long term.

Apollo Education Group

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