Weber taken private in $3.7bn deal

BY Richard Summerfield

Grill manufacturer Weber Inc. has agreed to be taken private by BDT Capital Partners in a $3.7bn deal.

BDT, Weber’s controlling shareholder with a 48.2 percent stake in the company, has agreed to buy all of the outstanding shares in Weber that it does not already own for $8.05 per share. The purchase price represents a 60 percent premium to Weber’s closing price on 24 October, the last trading day before BDT submitted its takeover offer.

Upon completion of the transaction, Weber will become a privately held company majority owned by investment funds managed by BDT. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. The transaction has been approved by the written consent of the holders of the requisite number of shares of common stock of Weber, such that no additional stockholder approval is required.

In connection with the transaction, BDT managed investment funds will provide Weber with an additional unsecured loan facility in the aggregate principal amount of $350m. Weber intends to use the loan to repay existing debt and fund working capital for the 2023 outdoor cooking season. The previous $60m loan agreement that Weber entered into with BDT managed investment funds on 8 November 2022, will remain outstanding, the companies confirmed in a statement.

“We appreciate the Special Committee’s comprehensive evaluation of BDT’s offer and are confident that this transaction provides immediate and fair value to Weber minority shareholders,” said Alan Matula, interim chief executive of Weber. “For over a decade, BDT has been a longstanding strategic partner for Weber. With their continued support, our global team will move forward in executing our long-term strategy with consumers and customers as our top priorities. And we’ll continue to sharpen our focus on doing what we do best: delivering the outdoor cooking industry's most innovative, best-performing, highest-quality products and engaging millions worldwide who love to gather together and cook outside.”

“Weber is the #1 brand and global category leader in outdoor cooking, and it has demonstrated a relentless commitment to quality and innovation over its 70-year history,” said Kelly Rainko, a partner at BDT and non-executive chair of the board of Weber. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the company and the founding Stephen family in its next chapter.”

News: Grill maker Weber to go private with BDT Capital in $3.7 bln deal

NRG Energy agrees $2.8bn Vivint deal

BY Richard Summerfield

NRG Energy Inc has agreed to acquire Vivint Smart Home Inc in a $2.8bn all-cash deal. Under the terms of the agreement, NRG will pay $12 per share for the company, a premium of 33.5 percent to Vivint’s closing stock price on Monday, the last day of trading before the deal was announced. NRG will also take on $2.4bn of debt as part of the deal.

According to a statement announcing the agreement, the deal will have an implied multiple of 6.3 times run-rate enterprise value to adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA).

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023, subject to customary closing conditions. Upon completion of the transaction, NRG intends to maintain a significant presence in the state of Utah, where Vivint is headquartered. The agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The deal will not impact NRG’s 2023 capital allocation plans, according to the company’s chief financial officer Alberto Fornaro, NRG also plans to fully execute its $1bn stock buyback authorisation. The company plans to fund the deal with about $600m in cash, $900m from its revolving credit facility and $1.39bn in new debt and preferred equity.

“Last year at our Investor Day, we presented our strategic roadmap to becoming the leading provider of essential services for homes and businesses, informed by consumer trends and underpinned by disciplined execution,” said Mauricio Gutierrez, president and chief executive of NRG. “The acquisition of Vivint is a transformational step in achieving our vision. Customers want simple, connected, and customized experiences that provide peace of mind. Vivint’s smart home technology strengthens our retail platform, improves our customer experience, and increases customer lifetime value. I am excited to welcome Vivint to the NRG family.”

“We are pleased to announce a transaction that delivers immediate and compelling cash value to Vivint’s stockholders while also presenting significant opportunities to drive our company’s continued success in the years to come,” said David Bywater, chief executive of Vivint Smart Home. “Our agreement with NRG is the culmination of our Board’s ongoing pursuit of maximizing value for Vivint stockholders and is a testament to the strength of the Vivint brand, capabilities, and proven industry leadership. We look forward to working with NRG to create exciting opportunities for Vivint as part of a larger platform. On behalf of our Board and management team, I thank the hard-working Vivint employees for the significant role they have played in this important milestone.”

The deal will increase NRG’s customer base to about 7.4 million across North America. The company is one of the largest US independent power producers and operates a fleet of natural gas, coal and other generating plants totalling 18 gigawatts. It is also one of the biggest retail electricity providers in Texas.

News: NRG Energy to buy Vivint Smart Home for $2.8 bln

Corteva acquires Stoller Group in $1.2bn transaction

BY Fraser Tennant

In a deal that reinforces its commitment to driving value for farmers through innovative, sustainable solutions, agricultural chemical and seed company Corteva, Inc. is to acquire independent biologicals firm Stoller Group, Inc. for $1.2bn.

With operations and sales in more than 60 countries and 2022 forecasted revenues of more than $400m, the Houston-based Stoller brings immediate scale and profitability, with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margins that will be accretive to Corteva.

Moreover, the biologicals market is expected to grow by high-single digits annually through 2035, representing approximately 25 percent of the overall crop protection market by 2035. Over the past three years, Corteva has expanded its biologicals business through external and internal innovation, R&D collaborations, licensing and distribution agreements, and acquisitions.

“Biologicals provide farmers with sustainably-advantaged tools that complement crop protection technologies, and collectively, can work to address global challenges around food security and climate change,” said Chuck Magro, chief executive of Cortevo. “Stoller represents a leader in the biologicals industry given its commercial presence and market expansion potential, while also delivering attractive growth and operating margins.”

In fact, Stoller is the second biologicals acquisition for Corteva in 2022, following its recent acquisition of Symborg, an expert in microbiological technologies based in Murcia, Spain. Corteva will bring together the complementary commercial and technical strengths of both Stoller and Symborg as part of its biologicals strategy.

“In Stoller’s 50-plus year history, we have successfully helped growers around the world increase their productivity and improve their sustainability,” said Guillermo de la Borda, chief executive of Stoller. “We are proud to join forces with Corteva as we share a vision of helping farmers succeed in growing the nutritious food the world relies on.”

The transaction is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023 following regulatory approvals and satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Mr Magro concluded: “In combination with Corteva’s leading innovation organization, Stoller provides a platform for expanding and accelerating Corteva’s biologicals business to become one of the largest players in the rapidly expanding biologicals market.”

News: Corteva to Buy Stoller in $1.2 Billion Deal to Boost Biologicals

RBC acquires HSBC Canada in $13.5bn transaction

BY Fraser Tennant

In a deal designed to position it as the bank of choice for globally connected clients, multinational financial services company Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) is to acquire personal and commercial bank HSBC Bank Canada.   

Under the terms of the agreement, RBC will acquire 100 percent of the common shares of HSBC Canada for an all-cash purchase price of $13.5bn.

The acquisition will see HSBC Canada’s strength in international products combine with RBC’s breadth of capabilities, providing a best-in-class set of solutions to help clients meet their financial goals, build their wealth and grow their businesses.

HSBC’s exit from Canada marks the first major banking deal in Canada since ING sold its local operations to Bank of Nova Scotia for C$3.1bn in 2012.

“This acquisition builds on our core domestic retail business and expands our international product capabilities,” said Neil McLaughlin, group head of personal & commercial banking at RBC. "We look forward to welcoming HSBC Canada's talented employees after the transaction closes and supporting them as they continue to serve their clients. With strong cultural and risk alignment and a shared focus on client service, we can build together on HSBC Canada's leading international products.”

As Canada’s biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalisation, RCB has a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to its 17 million clients in Canada, the US and 27 other countries.

“I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with RBC,” said Noel Quinn, chief executive of HSBC Group. “The deal makes strategic sense for both parties, and RBC will take the business to the next level. We look forward to working closely with RBC's leadership team to ensure a smooth transition for our clients and colleagues.”

The transaction is expected to close by late 2023, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals, obtained in the ordinary course.

“This acquisition positions us as the bank of choice for commercial clients with international needs, newcomers to Canada and affluent clients who need global banking and wealth management capabilities,” concluded said Dave McKay, president and chief executive of RBC. “It will also help us better serve global clients looking to invest and grow in Canada.”

News: HSBC eyes bumper dividend from $10 billion sale of Canada unit to RBC

Yahoo takes stake in Taboola

BY Richard Summerfield

Yahoo Inc has agreed to acquire a near 25 percent stake in advertising tech firm Taboola Inc, becoming the company’s largest shareholder in the process.

As part of the deal, the companies have agreed to a 30-year, exclusive commercial agreement which will see Taboola exclusively power native advertising across all of Yahoo’s digital properties and will be available to buy through the Yahoo demand side platform (DSP), establishing Taboola as a leading native advertising offering for advertisers, publishers and merchants on the open web. In exchange, Yahoo will take a 24.99 percent stake in the company which provides content recommendation widgets on popular news websites. Yahoo will also get a seat on Taboola’s board of directors. Both companies expect to generate $1bn in annual revenue from this newly formed partnership if integrations go well.

Yahoo currently reaches nearly 900 million monthly active users, Taboola partners with 9000 publishers and reaches 500 million users every day.

“Yahoo is an internet pioneer, representing one of the largest, most trusted and most sophisticated publishers in the world,” said Adam Singolda, founder and chief executive of Taboola. “Everywhere I look, I see a rocket ship growth opportunity for both of us – native, eCommerce, Video, header bidding (display) and more. This win-win partnership will meaningfully accelerate our growth flywheel, expanding our reach to more users on the open web with high-intent traffic to provide world-class solutions for advertisers, publishers, merchants and users in a cookie-less world.

“For publishers in the open web, we’ll be able to invest even more in driving revenue, engagement and audience growth moving forward, empowering performance, brand advertisers, merchants as well as agencies with an immense reach to users in a premium, trusted environment,” he continued. “This partnership is a big step toward achieving our goal of generating $1 billion in ex-TAC by 2025.”

“Partnering with Taboola enables Yahoo to further enhance the contextual and native offerings within our unified advertising stack,” said Jim Lanzone, chief executive of Yahoo. “The partnership also allows Yahoo and Taboola to continue to differentiate in market, improving user, advertiser and publisher experiences across properties, while benefiting from the long-term tailwinds in digital native advertising. Together with Taboola, we will maximize reach and campaign performance for advertisers, enhance monetization opportunities for publishers, and drive improved, privacy-forward experiences for users. As we continue to build the next era of Yahoo, we are thrilled to have strong partners by our side.”

News: Yahoo to buy minority stake in Taboola in advertising deal