Schneider Electric Offers $1.5bn For German Software Giant
Expansion and jobs creation on the horizon as Schneider Electric consolidates its market share in the sector.
French electrical equipment company Schneider Electric has agreed to buy one of Germany’s largest construction software companies in a $1.5bn deal.
The move on to acquire RIB Software at 29 euros per share, comes as the company continues to strengthen its portfolio to answer the need for greener energy solutions.
Schneider Electric Chairman and Chief Executive Jean-Pascal Tricoire, said: “This key transaction strengthens Schneider Electric’s position as a major player in the digital transformation of the engineering and construction industry, and brings significant benefits to our customers, streamlining their digital journey from the building to the operation phase.”
RIB Software’s investor ENA Investment Capital has “welcomed the announcement by Schneider” to launch a public offer for all outstanding RIB shares.
RIB CEO Thomas Wolf, told Reuters that “the deal will give the business access to a lot of new clients” and that he expects the transaction to be a generator of new jobs amid expansion.
He continued: “”We are pleased to have found in Schneider Electric a strategic partner who shares our vision to revolutionise the global construction industry and to create a carbon-free and sustainable living space for our children and grandchildren.
“As the current main shareholder, I have decided to offer my shares to Schneider Electric at the offer price, as a clear signal of confidence in their attractive offer, which I fully support in the interest of RIB Software and all RIB shareholders. However, at the request of Schneider Electric, the current management team will continue in their positions, and Michael Sauer (CFO) and I will retain a combined shareholding of approx. 8.7%.”
In a statement, his company added that the proposed transaction with Schneider Electric has been carefully reviewed by the Administrative Board of RIB in the context of its growth strategy vis-à-vis other alternatives.
“In the course of this, RIB Software has talked to multiple parties in order to identify a committed shareholder and strategic partner, who supports the company’s strategy, while at the same time offering all shareholders of RIB Software the opportunity to realize a significant part of the envisaged long-term value creation immediately,” it read.
For the full year of 2019, RIB Software reported revenues of €214.3m, +57% compared to the previous year, and an EBITDA of €50.1m, +32% compared to the previous year.
The organic growth rate for ARR/NRR revenue was 12%. EBITDA margin reaches 23.4%. The company closed 14 M&A deals in 2019.
User target of 30,000 MTWO & iTWO 4.0 was exceeded by over 100% with 69,265 users, according to its latest results.
In 2020, revenue is expected to reach €270m to €310m with an EBITDA of €57m to €65m.
source dataeconomy
Industry: Data Centre / Data Center
