Dialog Announces Terms of Acquisition of Remaining 30% Stake in Muscat; Natural Language Search Tool Developer Now 100%-Owned by Dialog

Business Wire, Dec 1, 1999

CARY, N.C. and LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 1, 1999--

The Dialog Corporation plc (NASDAQ:DIAL, LSE:DLG), a leading provider of Internet-based information, technology and e-commerce solutions, announced today the final terms of its acquisition of the remaining 30% interest in Muscat Ltd. The purchase provides Dialog with 100% ownership of the Cambridge, England-based provider of natural language search tools on terms that were outlined at the time of Dialog's August 1997 purchase of a 70% stake in Muscat. The purchase consideration for the 30% stake is (pound)2,500,737 (approximately $3,985,000) and is being satisfied by the issuance of 3,012,936 ordinary shares (equivalent to 753,234 American Depositary Shares). Each ordinary share is valued at 83 pence, the average mid-market price of ordinary shares in The Dialog Corporation over the five days prior to November 30, 1999.

The Dialog Corporation ordinary shares being issued to satisfy the consideration will be issued credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all respects with The Dialog Corporation's existing ordinary shares. Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for these shares to be admitted to the Official List and this is expected to take place on Monday, December 6, 1999.

About The Dialog Corporation

The Dialog Corporation (http://www.dialog.com) is a leading provider of Internet-based information, technology and e-commerce solutions, created by the merger of M.A.I.D plc and Knight-Ridder Information Inc. The Dialog Corporation brands include the DIALOG, DataStar and Profound range of products and services. These brands provide comprehensive, authoritative sources of information to professionals worldwide. The Dialog Corporation has world headquarters in London and US headquarters in Cary, N.C. Its American Depositary Shares (ADS) are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol 'DIAL' with four Ordinary Shares comprising one ADS; its Ordinary Shares trade on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol 'DLG.'