Zimmer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZMH) announced today that it has agreed to sell $7.65 billion of senior notes in an underwritten public offering through Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, as joint book-running managers. The offering consists of the following tranches:

The offering is expected to close on March 19, 2015.

The company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to finance a portion of the cash consideration for its previously announced merger with LVB Acquisition, Inc. (“LVB”), the parent of Biomet, Inc. (“Biomet”), payment of fees and expenses incurred in connection with the merger and the payment of a portion of LVB’s funded debt.  The merger is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2015, or shortly thereafter, subject to applicable regulatory approvals. In the event that the Biomet merger is not consummated, the Company expects to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes, together with cash on hand, to redeem the Notes.

The offering of the Notes is not conditioned upon the consummation of the Biomet merger.

The offering of the Notes is being made pursuant to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The offering of the Notes will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement relating to the offering of the Notes and the accompanying base prospectus, copies of which may be obtained by contacting: Citigroup Global Markets Inc. toll-free at 1‑800‑831‑9146; Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC toll-free at 1‑800‑221‑1037; J.P Morgan Securities LLC collect at 1-212-834‑4533 or Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at 1‑800‑294‑1322.

These documents will also be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.

Founded in 1927 and headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, Zimmer designs, develops, manufactures and markets orthopaedic reconstructive, spinal and trauma devices, dental implants and related surgical products.  Zimmer has operations in more than 25 countries around the world and sells products in more than 100 countries.  Zimmer’s 2014 sales were approximately $4.7 billion.  Zimmer is supported by the efforts of more than 9,000 employees worldwide.