Atlantica Enters into Agreement to be Acquired by Energy Capital
Partners and Co-Investors
Atlantica Enters into Agreement to be Acquired by Energy
Capital Partners and Co-Investors
May 28, 2024 – Atlantica Sustainable
Infrastructure plc (NASDAQ: AY) (“Atlantica” or the “Company”),
announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement
(the “Transaction Agreement”) pursuant to which a private limited
company incorporated in England and Wales (“Bidco”) has agreed,
subject to the terms of the Transaction Agreement, to acquire 100%
of the shares of Atlantica for $22 per share in cash. Bidco is
controlled by Energy Capital Partners (“ECP”), a leading investor
across energy transition, electrification and decarbonization
infrastructure assets, and includes a large group of institutional
co-investors.
The purchase price represents an 18.9% premium
to Atlantica’s closing share price on April 22, 2024, the last
trading day prior to the emergence of market rumors regarding a
potential acquisition of the Company. Further, the purchase price
represents a 21.8% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average
trading price as of April 22, 2024. The transaction values
Atlantica at an equity value of approximately $2,555 million.
The transaction is to be completed pursuant to a
scheme of arrangement (the “Scheme”) under the U.K. Companies Act
2006. Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. and Liberty (AY
Holdings), B.V. (collectively, “Algonquin”), which hold
approximately 42.2% of Atlantica’s shares, have entered into a
support agreement with Bidco pursuant to which Algonquin has
agreed, subject to the terms of that agreement, to vote its shares
in favor of the Scheme.
“This transaction is the culmination of a
thorough and comprehensive strategic review process” said Michael
D. Woollcombe, Chair of Atlantica’s Board of Directors. “After
carefully analyzing all reasonably available alternatives with the
assistance of external advisors over a prolonged period, our board
unanimously concluded that this transaction represents the best
value maximizing alternative available and that its completion is
in the best interest of Atlantica and its shareholders. The support
of our largest shareholder reinforces that conclusion.”
“We expect to continue executing on our growth
strategy as a private company with the support of our new partners.
ECP has a long track record and expertise in the sustainable
infrastructure sector and, together with its global co-investors,
will enhance Atlantica’s ability to finance and deliver growth
while maintaining our focus on safety, sustainability and value
creation” said Santiago Seage, CEO of Atlantica.
“Atlantica’s employees and management team have
a long and impressive track record of maximizing value across a
complex set of global assets. ECP is excited about the opportunity
to partner with the Company and to support and accelerate its
growth,” said Andrew Gilbert, a Partner of ECP.
Shareholder and Regulatory Approvals /
Transaction Details
The transaction is subject to, among other
conditions, approval by Atlantica’s shareholders of the Scheme,
sanction of the transaction by the High Court of Justice of England
and Wales, and regulatory approvals in different jurisdictions,
including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, by the
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the United States.
The transaction is expected to close in the
fourth quarter of 2024 or early first quarter of 2025. Upon the
completion of the transaction, Atlantica will become a privately
held company and its shares will no longer be listed on any public
market. Atlantica expects to continue paying its current quarterly
dividend of $0.445 per share through to the closing of the
transaction, subject to the approval of its board of directors at
the relevant times.
For further information regarding the
transaction and the relevant agreements related thereto, please see
the Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K filed today by the
Company, including the exhibits thereto (the “6-K”). The
descriptions of the transaction and such agreements outlined above
do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety
by reference to the full text of such agreements which are exhibits
to the 6-K.
Financial and Legal
Advisors
Citi acted as financial advisor and Skadden,
Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP acted as legal advisor to
Atlantica. Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to
Energy Capital Partners. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as
financial advisor and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as legal
advisor to Algonquin.
Additional Information and Where to Find
it
The Company intends to furnish to the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and mail or
otherwise provide to its shareholders a scheme circular in
connection with the transaction (the “Scheme Circular”). This
communication is not a substitute for the Scheme Circular or any
other document that may be filed or furnished by the Company with
the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to carefully read
the entire Scheme Circular (which will include an explanatory
statement in respect of the Scheme in accordance with the
requirements of the U.K. Companies Act 2006) and other relevant
documents as and when they become available because they will
contain important information. You may obtain copies of all
documents filed with or furnished to the SEC regarding this
transaction, free of charge, at the SEC’s website
(www.sec.gov).
In addition, investors and shareholders will be
able to obtain free copies of the Scheme Circular and other
documents filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company on its
Investors website
(https://www.atlantica.com/web/en/investors/).
Forward Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Any statements that express, or involve
discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives,
assumptions, strategies, future events or performance (often, but
not always, through the use of words or phrases such as may result,
are expected to, will continue, is anticipated, likely to be,
believe, will, could, should, would, estimated, may, plan,
potential, future, projection, goals, target, outlook, predict, aim
and intend or words of similar meaning) or the negative of these
terms or other comparable terminology are not statements of
historical facts and may be forward looking. Such statements occur
throughout this report and include statements with respect to the
Transaction and the Scheme, the proposed timing and various actions
and other conditions contemplated in respect of the Transaction and
the Scheme.
The forward-looking statements in this report
are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, estimates and
assumptions, including risks relating to (a) Bidco’s and
Atlantica’s ability to complete the transaction on the proposed
terms or on the anticipated timeline, or at all, including risks
and uncertainties related to securing the necessary regulatory and
other third-party approvals, including the necessary shareholder
approval, the sanction of the Scheme by the Court or the
satisfaction of other closing conditions to consummate the
transaction; (b) the occurrence of any event, change or other
circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the
Transaction Agreement or any unanticipated difficulties or
expenditures relating to the proposed transaction; (c) risks
related to diverting the attention of Atlantica’s management from
ongoing business operations; (d) failure to realize the expected
benefits of the transaction; (e) significant transaction costs
and/or unknown or inestimable liabilities; (f) the risk of
shareholder litigation in connection with the transaction,
including resulting expense or delay; (g) Bidco’s ability to fund
the cash required to consummate the transaction; (h) risks related
to future opportunities and plans for the Company, including the
uncertainty of expected future regulatory filings, financial
performance and results of the Company following completion of the
transaction; (i) disruption of currents plans and operations caused
by the announcement of the proposed transaction, making it more
difficult to conduct business as usual or maintain relationships
with current or future customers, employees or suppliers, financing
sources, governmental authorities, and joint-venture partners; (j)
effects relating to the announcement of the transaction or any
further announcements or the consummation of the transaction on the
market price of Atlantica’s shares and, if the transaction is not
completed, and the Company continues as a publicly-traded entity,
risks that the announcement of the proposed transaction and the
dedication of substantial resources of the Company to the
completion of the transaction could have an impact on its business,
strategic relationships, operating results and activities in
general; (k) risk of having to pay the Company Termination Fee
pursuant to the terms of the Transaction Agreement; (l) regulatory
initiatives and changes in tax laws that may impact the
Transaction; (m) market volatility; and (n) other risks and
uncertainties affecting Bidco and Atlantica and more. Given these
risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results.
Accordingly, any such statements are qualified in their entirety by
reference to, and are accompanied by, important factors included in
“Part I—Item 3.D.—Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 20-F
for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in any subsequent reports
on Form 6-K (in addition to any assumptions and other factors
referred to specifically in connection with such forward-looking
statements).
Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of
the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect
events or circumstances, including, but not limited to,
unanticipated events, after the date on which such statement is
made, unless otherwise required by law. New factors emerge from
time to time, and it is not possible for management to predict all
of these factors, nor can it assess the impact of each of these
factors on the business or the extent to which any factor, or
combination of factors, may cause actual results, performance or
achievements, and the timing of events to differ materially from
those contained or implied in any forward-looking statement.
About Atlantica
Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc is a
sustainable infrastructure company that owns a diversified
portfolio of contracted renewable energy, storage, efficient
natural gas, electric transmission and water assets in North &
South America, and certain markets in EMEA (www.atlantica.com).
About ECP
Energy Capital Partners (ECP), founded in 2005,
is a leading equity and credit investor across energy transition,
electrification and decarbonization infrastructure assets,
including power generation, renewables and storage solutions,
environmental infrastructure and sustainability, efficiency &
reliability assets facilitating the energy transition. The ECP
team, comprised of 90 people with 850 years of collective industry
experience, deep expertise and extensive relationships, has
consummated more than 100 equity (representing nearly $60 billion
of enterprise value) and over 20 credit transactions since
inception (www.ecpgp.com).
In addition to ECP, Bidco contains a group of
more than 10 institutional co-investors who share Atlantica and
ECP’s view of the Company’s attractive growth prospects.
Chief Financial Officer Francisco
Martinez-DavisE
ir@atlantica.com ECP
MediaFGS GlobalNick Rust / Akash LodhECP@fgsglobal.com |
Investor Relations & CommunicationLeire
PerezE ir@atlantica.comT +44 20
3499 0465
|
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