CECO Environmental Corp. (Nasdaq: CECO) (“CECO”), a leading
environmentally focused, diversified industrial company whose
solutions protect people, the environment and industrial
equipment, and Profire Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: PFIE)
(“Profire”), a technology company providing solutions that enhance
the efficiency, safety, and reliability of industrial combustion
appliances, today announced a definitive agreement where CECO will
acquire Profire, in an all-cash transaction.
Profire is a leader in burner management technology and
combustion control systems that provide mission-critical combustion
automation and control solutions and services to improve
environmental efficiency, safety and reliability for industrial
thermal applications globally. Profire estimates its 2024 sales to
be greater than $60 million with adjusted EBITDA margins of
approximately 20 percent.
“I am excited to announce the acquisition of Profire and we look
forward to welcoming their tremendous organization to our portfolio
of leading solution companies,” said Todd Gleason, CECO’s Chief
Executive Officer. “With an installed base approaching 100,000
burner management systems and a growing industrial market product
offering, we look forward to accelerating their global market
expansion and introducing their high-efficiency solutions to more
customers in industrial air and water. We are also confident that
the increased scale and combined corporate organizations will
generate meaningful efficiencies and synergies. The addition of
Profire is another important step in our ongoing execution of
programmatic M&A and we expect it will further advance our
position as the leading environmental solutions provider in
industrial markets.”
“We are extremely pleased to announce this transaction with CECO
which is a testament to the value that has been created for Profire
employees, customers and shareholders,” said Cameron Tidball and
Ryan Oviatt, co-CEOs of Profire. “The combination of our
well-established leadership in niche energy and industrial mission
critical applications with CECO’s proven track record of acquiring
and investing in companies to enhance their growth and create scale
will unlock even more value for all constituents.”
Transaction Details and Timing
Under the terms of the agreement, a subsidiary of CECO (“Merger
Sub”) will commence a tender offer to acquire all issued and
outstanding shares of Profire common stock at a price of $2.55 per
share, in cash, without interest and subject to applicable
withholding tax. The tender offer will initially remain open for 20
business days from the date of commencement of the tender offer,
subject to extension under certain circumstances. The
transaction, which has been unanimously approved by Profire’s Board
of Directors, implies an equity value of approximately $125 million
and a total enterprise value for Profire of approximately $108
million.
The tender offer is subject to customary closing
conditions, including that at least a majority of the outstanding
shares of Profire’s common stock are tendered and not withdrawn in
the tender offer and the expiration of the waiting period under the
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.
The price represents a 46.5% premium over Profire’s
closing share price of $1.74 on October 25, 2024 and a premium of
60.3% to Profire’s 30-day volume weighted average share price on
October 25, 2024. Following a successful completion of the
tender offer, including the satisfaction of certain customary
conditions, CECO will acquire all remaining untendered shares of
Profire common stock at the same price of $2.55 per share in cash
through a merger of Merger Sub with Profire, with Profire
continuing as the surviving corporation.
Upon completion of the transaction, Profire will
become a wholly-owned subsidiary of CECO and shares of Profire’s
common stock will no longer be listed on any public market. The
parties anticipate that the combination will be completed in the
first quarter of 2025.
Advisors
Stephens Inc. is serving as financial advisor
and Mayer Brown LLP is serving as legal counsel to Profire.CECO
Environmental Corp. is being advised by Foley & Lardner LLP
(Legal), and KPMG (tax).
ABOUT CECO ENVIRONMENTALCECO Environmental is a
leading environmentally focused, diversified industrial company,
serving a broad landscape of industrial air, industrial water, and
energy transition markets across the globe through its key business
segments: Engineered Systems and Industrial Process Solutions.
Providing innovative technology and application expertise, CECO
helps companies grow their business with safe, clean, and more
efficient solutions that help protect people, the environment and
industrial equipment. In regions around the world, CECO works to
improve air quality, optimize the energy value chain, and provide
custom solutions for applications including power generation,
petrochemical processing, general industrial, refining, midstream
oil and gas, electric vehicle production, polysilicon fabrication,
battery recycling, beverage can, and water/wastewater treatment
along with a wide range of other applications. CECO is listed on
Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "CECO." Incorporated in 1966, CECO’s
global headquarters is in Dallas, Texas. For more information,
please visit www.cecoenviro.com.
ABOUT PROFIRE ENERGY, INC.Profire Energy is a
technology company providing solutions that enhance the efficiency,
safety, and reliability of industrial combustion appliances while
mitigating potential environmental impacts related to the operation
of these devices. It is primarily focused in the upstream,
midstream, and downstream transmission segments of the oil and gas
industry. However, in recent years, Profire has completed many
installations of burner-management solutions in other industries
that will be applicable to expand the addressable market over time.
Profire specializes in the engineering and design of burner and
combustion management systems and solutions used on a variety of
natural and forced draft applications. Its products and services
are sold primarily throughout North America. It has an experienced
team of sales and service professionals that are strategically
positioned across the United States and Canada. Profire has offices
in Lindon, Utah; Victoria, Texas; Midland-Odessa, Texas; Homer,
Pennsylvania; Greeley, Colorado; Millersburg, Ohio; and Acheson,
Alberta, Canada. For additional information,
visit www.profireenergy.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENTAny statements contained
in this Press Release, other than statements of historical fact,
including statements about management's beliefs and expectations,
are forward-looking statements and should be evaluated as such.
These statements are made on the basis of management's views and
assumptions regarding future events and business performance and
include, but are not limited to, statements regarding CECO's full
year 2024 outlook, statements about CECO's expectations regarding
the integration of Profire Energy, Inc., into CECO; the benefits of
the acquisition of Profire Energy, Inc., and the expectations
regarding the transaction's impact on CECO's strategic growth plan.
We use words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intends,"
"estimate," "forecast," "project," "will," "plan," "should" and
similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may
cause actual results to differ materially from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
statements. Potential risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially include risks regarding the
parties’ ability to complete the proposed transactions in the
anticipated timeframe or at all, the occurrence of any event,
change or other circumstance that could give rise to the
termination of the transaction agreement between the parties, the
effect of the announcement or pendency of the proposed transaction
on business relationships, operating results, and business
generally, disruption of current plans and operations and potential
difficulties in employee retention as a result of the proposed
transaction, diversion of management’s attention from ongoing
business operations, the outcome of any legal proceedings that may
be instituted related to the proposed transaction, the amount of
the costs, fees, expenses and other charges related to the proposed
transaction, for CECO the risk that competing offers or acquisition
proposals will be made, the achievement of the anticipated benefits
of the acquisition, the ability of Profire to achieve its 2024
earnings guidance, CECO’s ability to successfully integrate
acquired businesses and realize the synergies from acquisitions, as
well as a number of factors related to our business, including the
sensitivity of CECO’s business to economic and financial market
conditions generally and economic conditions in our service areas;
dependence on fixed price contracts and the risks associated
therewith, including actual costs exceeding estimates and method of
accounting for revenue; the effect of growth on CECO’s
infrastructure, resources, and existing sales; the ability to
expand operations in both new and existing markets; the potential
for contract delay or cancellation as a result of on-going or
worsening supply chain challenges; liabilities arising from faulty
services or products that could result in significant professional
or product liability, warranty, or other claims; changes in or
developments with respect to any litigation or investigation;
failure to meet timely completion or performance standards that
could result in higher cost and reduced profits or, in some cases,
losses on projects; the potential for fluctuations in prices for
manufactured components and raw materials, including as a result of
tariffs and surcharges, and rising energy costs; inflationary
pressures relating to rising raw material costs and the cost of
labor; the substantial amount of debt incurred in connection with
our strategic transactions and CECO’s ability to repay or refinance
it or incur additional debt in the future; the impact of federal,
state or local government regulations; CECO’s ability to repurchase
shares of its common stock and the amounts and timing of
repurchases, if any; CECO’s ability to successfully realize the
expected benefits of its restructuring program; CECO’s ability to
successfully integrate acquired businesses and realize the
synergies from strategic transactions; the unpredictability and
severity of catastrophic events, including cyber security threats,
acts of terrorism or outbreak of war or hostilities or public
health crises, as well as management's response to any of the
aforementioned factors; and CECO’s ability to remediate its
material weakness, or any other material weakness that we may
identify in the future that could result in material misstatements
in CECO’s financial statements. Additional risks and uncertainties
are discussed under "Part I – Item 1A. Risk Factors" of CECO's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2023 and may be included in subsequently filed Quarterly
Reports on Form 10-Q. Many of these risks are beyond
management's ability to control or predict. Should one or more of
these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions
prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material aspects from
those currently anticipated. Investors are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on such forward-looking statements as they speak
only to our views as of the date the statement is made. Except as
required under the federal securities laws or the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, each of CECO
and PFIE undertake no obligation to update or review any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.
Additional Information about the Transaction and Where
to Find It
The tender offer has not yet commenced. This communication is
neither an offer to buy nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any
securities of Profire Energy, Inc., nor is it a recommendation by
Profire Energy, Inc., its management or board of directors that any
investors sell or otherwise tender any securities of Profire
Energy, Inc. in connection with the transactions described
elsewhere in this communication. The solicitation and the offer to
buy shares of Profire Energy, Inc.’s common stock will only be made
pursuant to a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, including an
offer to purchase, a letter of transmittal and other related
materials that a subsidiary of CECO Environmental Corp. intends to
file with the SEC. In addition, Profire Energy, Inc. will file with
the SEC a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9
with respect to the tender offer. Once filed, investors will be
able to obtain the tender statement on Schedule TO, the offer to
purchase, the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement of Profire
Energy, Inc. on Schedule 14D-9 and related materials filed with the
SEC with respect to the tender offer and the merger, free of charge
at the website of the SEC at www.sec.gov or from the information
agent named in the tender offer materials. Investors are advised to
read these documents when they become available, including the
Solicitation/Recommendation Statement of Profire Energy, Inc. and
any amendments thereto, as well as any other documents relating to
the tender offer and the merger that are filed with the SEC,
carefully and in their entirety prior to making any decisions with
respect to whether to tender their shares in the tender offer
because such documents contain important information, including the
terms and conditions of the tender offer.
CECO Company Contact:Peter JohanssonChief
Financial and Strategy Officer888-990-6670
PFIE Company Contact: Ryan OviattCo-CEO &
CFO(801) 796-5127
Investor Relations Contact:Steven HooserThree
Part Advisors214-872-2710Investor.Relations@OneCECO.com
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