Acquisition of Bombardier Transportation: accelerating Alstom’s strategic roadmap
A step-change acquisition to address the ever-increasing demand for sustainable mobility
Excellent strategic rationale bringing to Alstom:
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Strong commercial and product complementarities
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Strengthened product lines and strategic industrial capacity
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Leading portfolio offering and R&D capabilities
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Strong commercial and product complementarities - Strengthened product lines and strategic industrial capacity - Leading portfolio offering and R&D capabilities Acquisition price from €5.8bn to €6.2bn
17 February 2020 – Alstom announces today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bombardier Inc. and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (“CDPQ”) in view of the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation. Post-transaction, Alstom will have a backlog of around €75bn and revenues around €15.5bn. The price for the acquisition of 100% of Bombardier Transportation shares will be €5.8bn to €6.2bn which will be paid via a mix of cash and new Alstom shares. CDPQ will reinvest c.€2bn corresponding to 100% of cash proceeds to be received from the sale of its stake in Bombardier Transportation and further invest €0.7bn in Alstom, outlining its strong belief in the strategic rationale and value creation potential of the combination.
Alstom and Bombardier operate in a very positive market environment with passenger traffic expected to grow between 3% to 5% annually over the 2015-2025 period and global rail OEM market expected to achieve a +3.0% CAGR between 2021-2023. The dynamic is driven by urbanisation trend and a strong push for decarbonation of mobility. In Europe, the European Commission has set very ambitious targets in terms of CO2 reduction and several countries have announced large investments in rail.
Bombardier Transportation is a reference player in global rail transportation with a €32bn backlog and €7.4bn sales as of December 2019. With a track record of market leadership and a strong expertise, Bombardier Transportation offers a broad product portfolio across all market segments and has a well-balanced industrial footprint between best-cost and high-tech countries.
The group will also further develop its presence in Québec, Canada. After the transaction, Montréal will welcome the Headquarters of Alstom of the Americas, leading all Alstom operations and expansion in these geographies. In addition, drawing on Québec’s well-established strengths in innovation and sustainable mobility, Alstom will establish a centre of excellence for design and engineering, as well as high-tech R&D activities, which will notably be focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions.
The acquisition of Bombardier Transportation is a one-time opportunity coming at the right moment for Alstom, having significantly strengthened its operational and financial profile over the past 4 years to accelerate its strategic roadmap, and adding to Alstom complementary commercial and industrial platforms. Bombardier Transportation will notably bring to Alstom:
complementary geographical presence to broaden Alstom’s commercial reach in key growing markets leveraging on Bombardier’s successful historical track record in Germany, UK, North America and its unique presence in China
significant assets for Alstom services business with access to the largest installed train fleet worldwide and a wide maintenance facilities network in a high value segment and opening new opportunities with a strengthened market coverage and service offering
complete innovation portfolio and significant engineering and R&D resources to lead smart and green mobility innovations
best cost industrial footprint including in Eastern Europe, Mexico and China and complementary footprint in mature markets e.g. Germany & UK
Alstom is committed to recover Bombardier Transportation’s full operational and profitability potential with the objective of restoring project execution and margin towards standard level. This will be achieved thanks to clearly identified levers including:
focus on operation turnaround and backlog execution based on Alstom best practices systematic roll-out
structured action plan to ensure successful integration and deployment of Alstom best practices and technologies globally
the strong cultural fit and understanding of Bombardier Transportation developed during numerous co-led projects
In addition, tangible and executable synergies have been identified and Alstom plans to deliver €400m run rate cost synergies in year 4 to 5.
As a result of greater efficiency and of a more robust operational profile, the transaction is expected to be double-digit EPS accretive from year 2 post closing for Alstom shareholders.
CDPQ becoming a new long-term shareholder of Alstom
Pursuant to the terms of the acquisition, CDPQ (currently holding 32.5% of Bombardier Transportation), will become the largest shareholder of Alstom with approximately 18% of capital. CDPQ is a highly regarded strategic investor with a long-term investment approach and has a significant and successful track record in the rail industry. It is fully supportive of the transaction and Alstom’s strategy. CDPQ will reinvest its proceeds for c.€2.0bn and realize an additional investment of €0.7bn in Alstom.
For existing Alstom shareholders, the transaction is expected to deliver significant value and they will be offered the possibility to accompany Alstom in the financing of this strategic acquisition through a rights issue, subject to EGM approval.
Indicative timetable and next steps
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding has been unanimously approved by each of Alstom’s and Bombardier Inc.’s board of directors and the envisaged transaction is fully supported by CDPQ.
An extraordinary general meeting (EGM) voting on the reserved capital increases and the rights issue should take place no later than October 31, 2020. Bouygues undertook to vote in favour of the transaction-related resolutions at this EGM.
Subject to the EGM, rights issue will take place between H2 2020 and H1 2021 and the reserved capital increases will take place at closing.
APPENDIX
Deal transaction terms
Structure of the transaction
The transaction will take the form of an acquisition, directly or indirectly, of 100% of Bombardier Transportation’s share capital and voting rights, held by Bombardier Inc. and CDPQ.
After equity raising transactions, CDPQ will become the first shareholder of Alstom with c.18% of the capital depending on financing and closing conditions and will be committed to a 21-month lock-up undertaking from closing and a 22% standstill. It will appoint two board representatives and one Observer (censeur). It will be proposed to the shareholders of Alstom to remove double voting rights to adopt the one share-one vote model.
The price for the acquisition of 100% of Bombardier Transportation shares will be €5.8bn to €6.2bn subject to Bombardier Inc’s accounts and mechanisms at closing.
In addition, Bombardier Transportation net cash position at closing will be retained by Alstom and a specific mechanism will lower purchase price on a Euro-per-Euro basis, should Bombardier Transportation have a negative net cash position as of 31 December 2020.
Fully committed financing – securing the transaction while maintaining Alstom’s strong credit profile
The acquisition of 100% of Bombardier Transportation shares will be paid with a mix of cash and new Alstom shares. The total equity component of the financing will represent approximately €5bn, of which €2bn will be raised on the market.
€2.6- 2.8bn equity to be provided by CDPQ through a reserved capital increase at closing, for a fixed subscription price of 44.45 euros per Alstom share. CDPQ is to reinvest 100% of the transaction proceeds (€1.93-2.08bn) in Alstom and add new money for €0.7bn.
€2.4bn bridge facility, fully underwritten by banks, to be refinanced through
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an equity portion expected to represent up to €2bn to be raised through a rights issue subject to market conditions
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new debt issuance of c.€0.4bn new debt
the balance to be paid with Alstom existing cash on the balance sheet including Bombardier Transportation net cash at closing.
Rothschild & Co and Société Générale are acting as financial advisors to Alstom. Société Générale, Crédit Agricole Corporate & Investment Bank and HSBC are acting as underwriters in the bridge and revolving facilities, with Société Générale also acting as Structuring and Coordinating bank. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton is acting as lead legal advisor to Alstom.
Important information
This communication does not constitute or form any part of an offer to exchange or purchase, or solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities. Any such offer or solicitation will be made only pursuant to an official offer documentation approved by the appropriate regulators. Securities may not be sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. This communication is not a prospectus, product disclosure statement or other offering documents for purposes of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 14th 2017.
Additional information
In connection with the proposed transaction, Alstom may file (i) with the AMF, a prospectus and other relevant documents in connection with the proposed transaction and (ii) if applicable, with the relevant regulatory authorities important documents related to the proposed transaction. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ ALL RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE AMF AND THE RELEVANT REGULATORY AUTHORITIES , INCLUDING THE PROSPECTUS WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and security holders may obtain free of charge a copy of the prospectus as well as other documents filed with the authorities (when they are available) at the AMF’s website, www.amf-france.org, and the relevant regulatory authorities’ websites. Those documents, when filed, may also be obtained free of charge [from Alstom’s website at www.alstom.com or by contacting Alstom’s Investor Relations team at investor.relations@alstomgroup.com.
A €75million break-fee is payable at the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding by Alstom if it were not to pursue the transaction