Fiat Industrial S.p.A. and CNH Global N.V. announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine the businesses of Fiat Industrial and CNH. The terms of the definitive merger agreement are consistent with Fiat Industrial’s final offer announced November 19. The terms provide that Fiat Industrial and CNH will each merge into a newly-formed company organized under the laws of the Netherlands.

Pursuant to the definitive merger agreement, CNH would pay a cash dividend of US$10 per CNH share to the CNH minority shareholders prior to completion of the merger. CNH will use its reasonable best efforts for the dividend to be paid prior to December 31, 2012 or as promptly thereafter as practicable. The cash dividend, when added to the 3.828 NewCo common shares for each CNH share, represented a 25.6% premium over the implied value of Fiat Industrial’s initial offer as of November 16, 2012, the trading day prior to the date on which Fiat Industrial’s final offer was announced. In addition, CNH minority shareholders will benefit from the dividend being paid prior to completion of the merger.

Sergio Marchionne, Fiat Industrial’s Chairman, stated, “We are pleased to have reached agreement on the basis of Fiat Industrial’s improved proposal for the merger. Completion of this merger will bring to a conclusion a lengthy process of simplifying and rationalizing the Group’s equity capital structure and allow shareholders in both companies the opportunity to participate in the growth prospects of the world’s third largest capital goods provider, which will be a true peer in scale and capital markets appeal to the other major global capital goods companies. This appeal will be further enhanced through the loyalty share structure intended to reward long-term stable shareholders that share our goal of enhancing shareholder value over the long term, as well as through enhanced flexibility to pursue strategic opportunities.”

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