Asahi Kasei Corp./ZOLL Medical Corp.
On March 12, 2012, Asahi Kasei Corporation and ZOLL Medical Corporation (Nasdaq: ZOLL) jointly announced that Asahi Kasei, Japan’s leading diversified chemical manufacturer with businesses in the health care, chemicals & fibers, homes & construction materials, and electronics sectors, has entered into a definitive merger agreement with ZOLL, a manufacturer of resuscitation and critical care devices and related software solutions, pursuant to which Asahi Kasei will acquire ZOLL for approximately $2.21 billion. The transaction has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.
Asahi Kasei, through a U.S. subsidiary, will make a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of ZOLL common stock for $93 per share. The purchase price represents a premium of 29.6% over ZOLL’s volume weighted average closing stock price over the 30 trading day period ended March 9, 2012, and a 23.8% premium over the closing price on March 9, 2012. The tender offer is expected to commence within 10 business days and will remain open for a minimum of 20 business days. Closing of the tender offer is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory clearances and the minimum tender of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of ZOLL (on a fully diluted basis). The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. The ZOLL Board of Directors has recommended that ZOLL stockholders accept the offer and tender their shares into the offer when it is made.
The transaction is expected to close in Q212.
Following the completion of the tender offer, Asahi Kasei intends to implement a second-step merger pursuant to which all remaining shares of ZOLL common stock not tendered in the offer will be converted into the right to receive the same cash price per share as in the offer. Upon completion of the merger, ZOLL will become a wholly owned subsidiary within the Asahi Kasei Group, managed by the current ZOLL management team and with all current business units and operations remaining intact. ZOLL will also be delisted from the NASDAQ stock exchange at that time.
UBS Investment Bank is acting as financial advisor to Asahi Kasei and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is acting as Asahi Kasei’s legal counsel. Brown Brothers Harriman is acting as financial advisor to ZOLL and Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as ZOLL’s legal counsel.
Asahi Kasei, through a U.S. subsidiary, will make a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of ZOLL common stock for $93 per share. The purchase price represents a premium of 29.6% over ZOLL’s volume weighted average closing stock price over the 30 trading day period ended March 9, 2012, and a 23.8% premium over the closing price on March 9, 2012. The tender offer is expected to commence within 10 business days and will remain open for a minimum of 20 business days. Closing of the tender offer is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory clearances and the minimum tender of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of ZOLL (on a fully diluted basis). The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. The ZOLL Board of Directors has recommended that ZOLL stockholders accept the offer and tender their shares into the offer when it is made.
The transaction is expected to close in Q212.
Following the completion of the tender offer, Asahi Kasei intends to implement a second-step merger pursuant to which all remaining shares of ZOLL common stock not tendered in the offer will be converted into the right to receive the same cash price per share as in the offer. Upon completion of the merger, ZOLL will become a wholly owned subsidiary within the Asahi Kasei Group, managed by the current ZOLL management team and with all current business units and operations remaining intact. ZOLL will also be delisted from the NASDAQ stock exchange at that time.
UBS Investment Bank is acting as financial advisor to Asahi Kasei and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP is acting as Asahi Kasei’s legal counsel. Brown Brothers Harriman is acting as financial advisor to ZOLL and Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as ZOLL’s legal counsel.
