Anixter Favors New $100 Per Share Cash-and-Stock Offer by Wesco
Rival bidder Clayton, Dubilier & Rice will have five business days to negotiate a counter offer, according to Anixter’s announcement.
GLENVIEW, Ill. — Anixter Int’l (NYSE: AXE) said Thursday a new $100 per share cash-and-stock offer from Wesco Int’l was determined to be a “superior company proposal” over rival bidder Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).
The revised offer by Wesco (NYSE: WCC) reflects an enterprise value of approximately $4.5 billion including net debt. The proposed agreement consists of $70 per share in cash, 0.2397 shares of Wesco common stock, and $15.89 per share of WESCO perpetual preferred stock.
CD&R will have five business days to negotiate a counter offer, according to Anixter’s announcement.
“After careful review and consideration and consultation with our financial and legal advisers, the Board of Anixter has determined that the current Wesco offer is superior to the existing CD&R agreement,” states Sam Zell, chairman of Anixter.
The announcement included the following details of Wesco’s offer:
The cash portion of the merger consideration will be increased by up to $2.82 to the extent the value of the Wesco common stock consideration, calculated using a volume weighted average before closing, declines below $14.11 per share, providing Anixter stockholders with 20% down-side protection based on Wesco’s closing price on January 2, 2020. Anixter stockholders would receive the benefit of any increase in the value of the Wesco common stock consideration above $14.11 per share. Based on the closing price on January 8, 2020, the total consideration would be $100.16.
Under its initial agreement with CD&R, should Anixter chose to consummate a deal with Wesco it would be required to pay a $100 million termination fee to CD&R. However, Wesco has agreed to pay the termination fee on Anixter’s behalf, according to the announcement.
It would appear the bidding war for Anixter may be drawing to a conclusion. On Jan. 3, Wesco increased its bid for the company to a $97 per share cash-and-stock offer following Anixter’s decision to accept a $93.50 per share all-cash offer from CD&R only days earlier.
SSI continues to report this story.
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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