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Ailing BlackBerry agrees to US$4.7b buyout
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BlackBerry has agreed to go private in a US$4.7 billion deal led by its biggest shareholder, allowing the on-the-go e-mail pioneer to regroup away from public scrutiny after years of falling fortunes and slumping market share.
The US$9 a share tentative offer, from a consortium led by property and casualty insurer Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd, will set a floor for any counteroffers that might emerge for BlackBerry, which has been on the block since August.
As an investor, Fairfax Chief Executive Prem Watsa is often described as the Canadian Warren Buffett because he also takes the long view.
BlackBerry shares peaked above US$148 in June 2008 when its devices were still the top choice for bankers, politicians and lawyers.
The stock, halted pending the announcement on Monday, closed below the offer price on Nasdaq, at US$8.82, indicating the market’s lack of faith that other bids would emerge.
“I would think a competing buyout offer is quite unlikely,” said Elvis Picardo, strategist at Global Securities in Vancouver. “The miniscule premium, and the muted market reaction, is another indication that the market views the odds of a competing bid as slim.”
BlackBerry, based in Ontario, once dominated the market for secure on-your-hip e-mail. But it unveiled consumer-friendly touchscreen smartphones only after it lost the lead to Apple Inc’s iPhone and devices using Google Inc’s Android system.
BlackBerry has until November 4 to seek superior offers, which the Fairfax group has the right to match. The group is seeking financing from Bank of America Merrill Lynch and BMO Capital Markets to complete the deal and has until that deadline to conduct its due diligence.
A BlackBerry statement did not name members of the consortium, but many in the financial community see Canada’s deep-pocketed pension funds as likely participants.
“We need to be careful given disclosure constraints, but we can say that we are focused on a strong Canadian solution,” said Fairfax spokesman Paul Rivett.
The pension funds, with assets around the world, traditionally take a long-term view in their investment decisions. Officials at the biggest funds either did not reply to requests for comment, said they had no information or declined to comment.
“We never discuss whether or not we plan to enter into any investment,” said Deborah Allan, spokeswoman for Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
Watsa stepped down from the BlackBerry board of directors in August, citing a potential conflict of interest, as the company said it was exploring a sale.
The Globe and Mail newspaper quoted Watsa as saying that a huge amount of the equity in the deal will come from within the country.
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