Ingram Micro Inc. and Tianjin Tianhai Investment Company, Ltd.(Tianjin Tianhai) have announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Tianjin Tianhai will acquire Ingram Micro for US$38.90 per share in an all-cash transaction with an equity value of approximately $6.0bn. Upon close of the merger, Ingram Micro is due to become a part of HNA Group, a Hainan-based Fortune Global 500 enterprise group in aviation, tourism and logistics and the largest stockholder of Tianjin Tianhai. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by both Ingram Micro’s and Tianjin Tianhai’s boards of directors, represents a premium of approximately 39% over the average closing share price of Ingram Micro for the 30 trading days ended February 16, 2016.
Following the close of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2016, Ingram Micro is expected to operate as a subsidiary of Tianjin Tianhai, consolidated under HNA Group, the largest stockholder of Tianjin Tianhai (via HNA Group’s subsidiaries). Ingram Micro is expected to remain headquartered in Irvine, California, and Ingram Micro’s executive management team is expected to remain in place with Alain Monié planned to continue as CEO. All Ingram Micro lines of business and all regional and country operations are expected to continue unaffected.
Adam Tan, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of HNA Group, said, “Ingram Micro has clearly established itself as a leading distributor and global provider of IT products and services. The Company has a proven and talented team and we believe Ingram Micro is unrivaled in its ability to offer industry-leading, differentiated and easy-to-manage solutions to vendor and customer partners worldwide. We look forward to supporting Ingram Micro’s management team and strategies, including continued expansion into new geographies, while also offering their vendor and customer partners access to new and complementary offerings. We share Ingram Micro’s commitment to integrity, innovation and performance and we are confident this transaction will enable Ingram Micro to continue to distinguish itself in the marketplace and meet the needs of its vendor and customer partners better than ever before.”
Mr. Tan also said, “After the transaction, Ingram Micro would become the largest member enterprise of HNA Group in terms of revenue, and facilitate the internationalization process of the group. With the help of Ingram Micro, HNA Group would have access to business opportunities in emerging markets, which have higher growth rates and better profitability. Furthermore, the addition of Ingram Micro would help the logistics sector of HNA Group transform from a logistics operator to a supply chain operator, and provide one-stop services while improving efficiencies.”
In conjunction with this announcement, Ingram Micro has announced it will suspend its quarterly dividend payment and its share repurchase program prior to the closing of the transaction.
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in various jurisdictions, as well as the approval of Ingram Micro’s and Tianjin Tianhai’s stockholders and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
China International Capital Corporation Limited and Bravia Capital jointly acted as lead financial advisors to HNA Group. Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as HNA Group’s legal counsel.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to Ingram Micro and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as Ingram Micro’slegal counsel.
Source: Ingram Micro
