Company: HOUS
Filing Date: 2025-12-02
Form Type: DEFM14A
Source: 0001628280-25-054793
Chunk: 86

Company: Anywhere Real Estate Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-12-02
Form: DEFM14A
Chunk 86
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, future growth prospects and strategic plans and consider various strategic opportunities, taking into account various factors, including the business, competitive, regulatory, financing and economic environments and developments in Anywhere’s industry. These reviews have included discussions of potential opportunities for business combinations, acquisitions and other financial and strategic alternatives, as well as the potential benefits and risks of such potential opportunities compared to the risks and benefits of Anywhere continuing to execute on its strategy as a standalone company.

In January 2025, Robert Reffkin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Compass, reached out to Ryan Schneider, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Anywhere, requesting that the parties speak telephonically. Following that outreach, at the request of Mr. Schneider, on January 31, 2025, Marilyn Wasser, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Anywhere, reached out to Brad Serwin, General Counsel of Compass, to understand the purpose of Mr. Reffkin’s outreach. Ms. Wasser and Mr. Serwin spoke telephonically. During such conversation, Mr. Serwin briefly mentioned Compass’ interest in exploring a potential strategic transaction between Anywhere and Compass and noted that Mr. Reffkin wished to discuss whether Anywhere would be interested in a potential stock for stock business combination with Compass at market prices without a premium. Ms. Wasser informed Mr. Schneider of the discussion with Mr. Serwin and, at Mr. Schneider’s request, Ms. Wasser again spoke with Mr. Serwin telephonically, informing him that such a transaction was unlikely to be of interest to Anywhere or its stockholders.

On March 31, 2025, Mr. Reffkin met with Ryan Mollett, a Partner at TPG/AG and Joseph Lenz, a Partner at TPG/AG and a member of the Anywhere Board, during which conversation Mr. Reffkin expressed interest in a potential combination of Compass and Anywhere. During such conversation, Mr. Reffkin stated that the potential cost synergies in a potential transaction between the parties could be substantial and that Compass could pay a premium in a transaction involving cash, stock or a mix of consideration. Messrs. Lenz and Mollett listened but did not engage with Mr. Reffkin with respect to the potential of a transaction. Following the meeting on the same day, Mr. Lenz contacted Michael Williams, Anywhere’s Chairman of the Anywhere Board, to alert him of the meeting. Following such conversation, on April 1, 2025,