BY Richard Summerfield
OCS Group International Ltd has agreed to buy rival Mitie Group Plc in a $4.2bn deal which will combine two of Britain’s largest facilities management companies.
Under the terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027, Mitie shareholders will receive 218.5p a share in cash and retain the planned 3.1p final dividend, valuing the offer at up to 221.6p a share. The offer represents a 47 percent premium to Mitie’s closing share price on Monday and values the business at $4.2bn on a fully diluted basis.
Mitie, which was founded in 1987 and employs 84,000 staff, specialises in facilities management, such as engineering maintenance and other services including hygiene and security.
OCS operates across the UK, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and has 135,000 staff. The company, which has been owned by the private equity group Clayton, Dubilier & Rice since 2022, says that the newly enlarged business will employ more than 219,000 people worldwide and combine OCS’s £3.3bn international operations with Mitie’s UK market-leading engineering maintenance, security, hygiene and compliance businesses. The deal will also strengthen OCS’s position in government, defence, healthcare, national infrastructure and commercial markets while creating greater scale to invest in technology, data and artificial intelligence.
“This is an important milestone for both organisations and an exciting opportunity to bring together two highly complementary businesses with a shared commitment to delivering the best outcomes for colleagues and customers,” said Rob Legge, group chief executive of OCS Group. “Subject to completion, we would build a British facilities management group that is better positioned to support the organisations that keep the country running. Together, we can better support existing and new customers, help more people into work and strengthen our contribution to getting Britain moving.”
“Today’s announcement is a testament to everything we have achieved at Mitie in recent years – especially the talent and expertise of our people, the business we have built together as well as its future potential,” says Phil Bentley, chief executive of Mitie. “This recommended offer reflects the strength of Mitie’s brand, capabilities and reputation, and delivers value for our shareholders. As part of a larger group with a wider geographical footprint, Mitie would have an even stronger platform to invest in our people, technology and services, and to do even more for the customers and communities we support.”
News: UK contractor Mitie agrees to $4.2 billion takeover by PE-backed rival, shares jump