AbbVie Inc. and Allergan plc have entered into a definitive transaction agreement under which AbbVie will acquire Allergan in a cash and stock transaction for a transaction equity value of approximately $63 billion, based on the closing price of AbbVie’s common stock of $78.45 on June 24, 2019.
“This is a transformational transaction for both companies and achieves unique and complementary strategic objectives,” says Richard A. Gonzalez, chairman and chief executive officer, AbbVie. “The combination of AbbVie and Allergan increases our ability to continue to deliver on our mission to patients and shareholders. With our enhanced growth platform to fuel industry-leading growth, this strategy allows us to diversify AbbVie’s business while sustaining our focus on innovative science and the advancement of our industry-leading pipeline well into the future.”
Under the terms of the Transaction Agreement, Allergan Shareholders will receive 0.8660 AbbVie Shares and $120.30 in cash for each Allergan Share that they hold, for a total consideration of $188.24 per Allergan Share. The transaction represents a 45 percent premium to the closing price of Allergan’s Shares on June 24, 2019.
“This acquisition creates compelling value for Allergan’s stakeholders, including our customers, patients and shareholders. With 2019 annual combined revenue of approximately $48 billion, scale in more than 175 countries, an industry-leading R&D pipeline and robust cash flows, our combined company will have the opportunity to make even bigger contributions to global health than either can alone,” says Brent Saunders, chairman and chief executive officer, Allergan. “Our fast-growing therapeutic areas, including our world class medical aesthetics, eye care, CNS and gastrointestinal businesses, will enhance AbbVie’s strong growth platform and create substantial value for shareholders of both companies.”
Upon completion of the transaction, AbbVie will continue to be incorporated in Delaware as AbbVie Inc. and have its principal executive offices in North Chicago, IL, with Richard A. Gonzalez continuing as chairman and chief executive officer. Two members of Allergan’s Board, including Brent Saunders, will join AbbVie’s Board upon completion of the transaction.
According to AbbVie, the strategic rationale includes:
- New growth platforms and leadership positions to diversify and expand revenue base: The combined company will consist of several attractive franchises with leadership positions across immunology, hematologic oncology, medical aesthetics, neuroscience, women’s health, eye care and virology. Allergan’s product portfolio will be enhanced by AbbVie’s commercial strength, expertise and international infrastructure.
- Immediate scale and enhanced profitability for AbbVie’s growth platform: AbbVie’s enhanced growth platform, comprised of growing and durable franchises across highly-attractive therapeutic areas, is expected to grow at a high-single digit annual growth rate well into the next decade, from more than $30 billion in 2020.
- Financially attractive with immediate EPS accretion: This transaction is expected to be 10% accretive to adjusted earnings per share over the first full year following the close of the transaction, with peak accretion of greater than 20%.1 ROIC is expected to exceed AbbVie’s cost of capital within the first full year.
- Significant cash flow generation: The success and scale of the combined commercial business ensures funding capacity and flexibility for simultaneous robust pipeline investment, debt reduction and capital return to shareholders. The combined companies generated $19 billion in operating cash flow in 2018.
In a news release, AbbVie says it anticipates that the Acquisition will provide annual pre-tax synergies and other cost reductions of at least $2 billion in year three while leaving investments in key growth franchises untouched. The synergies and other cost reductions will be a result of optimizing the research and early stage portfolio, and reducing overlapping R&D resources (~50 percent), driving efficiencies in SG&A, including sales and marketing and central support function costs (~40 percent), and eliminating redundancies in manufacturing and supply chain, and leveraging procurement spend (~10 percent). The synergies estimate excludes any potential revenue synergies.
AbbVie is expected to generate significant annual operating cash flow, which will support a debt reduction target of $15 to $18 billion before the end of 2021, while also enabling a continued commitment to Baa2/BBB or better credit rating and continued dividend growth.
It is expected that, immediately after the closing of the Acquisition, AbbVie Shareholders will own approximately 83 percent of AbbVie on a fully diluted basis and the Allergan Shareholders will own approximately 17 percent of AbbVie on a fully diluted basis.
The transaction is subject to the Conditions set out in Appendix III of the Rule 2.5 Announcement, including certain regulatory approvals and approval by Allergan’s Shareholders.
