Stoneridge, Inc. (SRI) to Sell Wiring Business in $65.7M Deal

Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) has entered into an asset purchase agreement, dated May 26, 2014, to sell its Wiring Business segment assets to Motherson Sumi Systems Ltd. ("Motherson") for $65.7 million and the assumption of certain related liabilities of the Wiring Business.

Motherson, an India-based manufacturer of diversified products for the global automotive industry, intends to expand its presence in North America through this transaction. Included in the transaction are six manufacturing facilities located in Portland, Indiana; Chihuahua, Mexico; Saltillo, Mexico; and Monclova, Mexico; as well as an engineering and administrative center located in Warren, Ohio. The transaction involves approximately 4,700 employees and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2014, subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals.

Stoneridge's Wiring Business designs and manufactures wiring harness products for sale principally to the commercial, agricultural and off-highway vehicle markets, as well as assembling entire instrument panels that are configured specifically to an OEM customer's specifications in the commercial vehicle market.

"The combination of Stoneridge's Wiring Business with Motherson will increase the vertical and global integration of the business, providing greater size, scale and additional global capabilities to service customers' requirements," said John C. Corey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stoneridge.

Corey added, "Our Wiring business has a strong management team and highly dedicated employees. It is our expectation that they will be the foundation for the North American market for Motherson. We thank them for their contributions to Stoneridge and know they will continue to thrive within the Motherson organization."

In recent years, Stoneridge's strategic approach has been to emphasize the development of advanced technology products and engineered product applications.

"With the sale of our Wiring Business, we can now increase our focus and resources on our other business segments, which are technology-driven with global applications and offer greater opportunities to provide higher value to our shareholders," Corey said.

Corey continued, "The transaction is not expected to have a material effect on Stoneridge's net new business over the next five years because most of the Company's growth is being driven by products in its Control Devices, Electronics and PST segments."

Financial Implications

Stoneridge's net cash proceeds from the transaction are expected to be approximately $65.7 million adjusted for net current assets, as defined by the purchase agreement. The proceeds will allow Stoneridge to increase cash deployed for earnings-accretive activities, such as strategic acquisitions, debt repayment and organic growth initiatives, as well as other corporate purposes.

As a result of the transaction, Stoneridge is updating its earnings guidance. The Company now expects earnings per share for 2014, excluding any gain or loss from the Wiring transaction and any potential refinancing initiative, to be in the range of $0.55 to $0.75 per share, compared with original guidance of $0.80 to $1.00 per share. The Company will provide further detail on full-year guidance in its second-quarter 2014 earnings release and during its second-quarter earnings call to be held in August 2014.

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