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Notable Mergers and Acquisitions of the Day 07/23: (CEO)/(NXY) (GWR)/(RA) (NRG)/(GEN) (DGI)/(GEOY)

July 23, 2012 10:04 AM EDT
  • CNOOC Limited (NYSE: CEO) and Nexen Inc. (NYSE: NXY) have entered into a definitive agreement under which CNOOC Limited will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Nexen for US$27.50 per share in cash.

    The purchase price represents a premium of 61% to the closing price of Nexen's common shares on the NYSE on July 20, 2012, and a premium of 66% to Nexen's 20 trading-day volume-weighted average share price. Total cash consideration of approximately US$15.1 billion will be paid for Nexen's common and preferred shares, and Nexen's current debt of approximately US$4.3 billion will remain outstanding. The transaction, which will be completed by way of a plan of arrangement, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2012.

    For more on the merger, click here.

  • Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (GWI) (NYSE: GWR) and RailAmerica, Inc. (NYSE: RA) have entered into an agreement under which GWI will acquire RailAmerica for an all cash purchase price of $27.50 per share. GWI’s acquisition of RailAmerica will combine the two largest short line and regional rail operators in North America, strengthening GWI’s ability to serve its industrial customers and Class I railroad partners. In addition, the combination should yield significant synergies and provide strong leverage to the eventual recovery of the U.S. economy, while creating a powerful platform for future industrial development along railroads in the 37 U.S. states in which GWI will do business.

    GWI expects to fund the transaction and the simultaneous refinancing of its existing debt with approximately $2.0 billion of new debt and approximately $800 million of equity or equity-linked securities. GWI has received $2.3 billion of committed debt financing from BofA Merrill Lynch (“BofAML”) and $800 million of committed equity financing from The Carlyle Group (“Carlyle”) (NASDAQ: CG) of which it has agreed to take a minimum of $350 million through a private placement of two-year mandatorily convertible preferred stock (“The Carlyle Convertible”) from Carlyle Partners V, a $13.7 billion U.S. buyout fund. The Carlyle Convertible has a coupon of 5% per annum for two years and is mandatorily convertible at a conversion price of $58.49. GWI has the option to fund up to an additional $450 million of The Carlyle Convertible on the same terms, subject to certain conditions. Alternatively, GWI may instead choose to fund the $450 million through the public issuance of equity or equity-linked securities.

    Click here for more color.

  • NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) and GenOn Energy, Inc. (NYSE: GEN) signed a definitive agreement to combine the two companies in a stock-for-stock tax-free transaction, creating the largest competitive generator in the United States with a diverse fleet of approximately 47,000 megawatts (MW) with asset concentrations in the East, Gulf Coast and West and a combined enterprise value of $18 billion.

    The transaction will enhance annual combined company EBITDA by $200 million by 2014 by realizing cost and operational efficiency synergies. In addition, the transaction will enable the combined company to reduce its interest and liquidity costs, and realize other balance sheet efficiencies, in aggregate, of $100 million per year. As a result, total recurring FCF benefits generated by this transaction will be approximately $300 million per year.

    GenOn shareholders will receive 0.1216 of a share of NRG common stock in exchange for each GenOn share of common stock. Based on NRG’s and GenOn’s closing share prices on July 20, the transaction represents a 20.6% premium to GenOn’s shareholders.

    Click here for the complete release.

  • DigitalGlobe, Inc. (NYSE: DGI) and GeoEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: GEOY), have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which the companies will combine in a stock and cash transaction valued at approximately $900 million. The combination of DigitalGlobe and GeoEye will create a global leader in earth imagery and geospatial analysis with a more diversified revenue base, a superior financial foundation and significant growth potential.

    Under the terms of the agreement, GeoEye shareowners will have the right to elect either 1.137 shares of DigitalGlobe common stock and $4.10 per share in cash, 100% of the consideration in cash ($20.27) or 100% of the consideration in stock (1.425 shares of DigitalGlobe common stock), for each share of GeoEye stock they own, with the amount of cash and stock subject to proration depending upon the elections of GeoEye shareholders, such that aggregate consideration mix reflects the ratio of 1.137 shares of DigitalGlobe common stock and $4.10 per share in cash. Based upon the closing prices of DigitalGlobe and GeoEye as of July 20, 2012, the transaction delivers a premium of 34% to GeoEye's July 20, 2012 closing price of $15.17 per share. Upon completion of the transaction, DigitalGlobe shareowners are expected to own approximately 64% and GeoEye shareowners are expected to own approximately 36% of the combined company. The transaction structure will allow both DigitalGlobe and GeoEye shareowners to participate in the substantial value creation opportunity resulting from this combination.

    The combined company will be named DigitalGlobe and continue to trade on the NYSE under the symbol DGI. It will have a 10-member board of directors, with six initial members from the current DigitalGlobe board and four initial members from the board of GeoEye. Jeffrey R. Tarr, President and Chief Executive Officer of DigitalGlobe, will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the combined company, and General Howell M. Estes III, Chairman of the Board of DigitalGlobe, will serve as Chairman. It is anticipated that, after close, Matt O'Connell, Chief Executive Officer and President of GeoEye, will assist the management of the combined company in an advisory capacity. The company will be headquartered in Colorado, have a large and important presence in Missouri and Virginia, and maintain offices in other locations around the globe.

    DigitalGlobe has secured a $1.2 billion fully committed financing from Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Inc. and The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. to refinance the combined company's outstanding debt.

    The transaction, which is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2012 or the first quarter of 2013, is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of requisite regulatory approvals and approval from GeoEye shareowners with respect to the merger and from DigitalGlobe shareowners with respect to the issuance of DigitalGlobe common stock in the merger. GeoEye's largest shareowner, Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. ("Cerberus"), and its Chairman and CEO each have agreed to vote in favor of the merger, and DigitalGlobe's largest shareowner, Morgan Stanley Principal Investments, Inc., and its Chairman and CEO each have agreed to vote in favor of the issuance of DigitalGlobe common stock in the merger.

    Cerberus intends to continue its investment in the combined company, and may purchase shares of DigitalGlobe in advance of the closing of the transaction. Cerberus has agreed to vote those shares with the board of directors and has entered into a standstill agreement with DigitalGlobe in which their ownership in the combined company will be capped at 19.9%. One of GeoEye's board designees will be put forth by Cerberus.

  • Talisman Energy Inc. (NYSE: TLM) announced that it has reached an agreement in the North Sea with Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation (Sinopec), whereby Sinopec (NYSE: SHI) will acquire a 49% equity interest in Talisman's UK North Sea business, Talisman Energy (UK) Limited (TEUK), for $1.5 billion.

    The deal structure will be a corporate joint venture whereby Sinopec will buy 49% of the shares of TEUK for $1.5 billion, with adjustments for working capital. This will proportionately reduce Talisman's share of capital spending, production and abandonment liabilities for its UK business. The effective date of the sale is January 1, 2012, and the transaction is expected to close by the end of this year, subject to government and regulatory approval.
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Cerberus Capital, Morgan Stanley, The Carlyle Group, Notable Mergers and Acquisitions