. DaimlerChrysler sells its Off-Highway activities
to EQT
Sales price of
EUR1.1 billion, Cash Inflow of estimated EUR1.0 billion
Closing in the
first quarter of 2006
Stuttgart -
DaimlerChrysler AG sells its DaimlerChrysler Off-Highway business unit
to financial investor EQT. The Supervisory Board has approved the sale.
The transaction includes the sale of MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH and of the
off-highway activities of Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC), Detroit.
DaimlerChrysler and EQT
have agreed on an enterprise value of �1.6billion. In consideration of
cash, cash equivalents, debts and pensions, DaimlerChrysler will benefit
from a cash inflow of estimated �1.0 billion. The transaction will
affect the Group�s operating profit by estimated �0.4 billion, with net
income rising by estimated �0.3 billion.
Dr. R�diger Grube,
Member of the DaimlerChrysler Board of Management for Corporate
Development and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of MTU Friedrichshafen
GmbH: �With the sale to EQT, we are putting MTU Friedrichshafen on the
right track for continued expansion. As the prices under discussion with
the three bidders were very similar, we decided in favor of the bidder
with the most convincing concept.�
Marcus Brennecke,
Managing Partner of EQT Germany�s operation: �We are committed to back
MTU in their growth strategy. We at EQT are very glad that we were
chosen as the new owner of MTU, and we want to help MTU to continue to
prosper and be even more successful in the future. We are very much
looking forward to working together with management and employees to
develop the company�s potential.�
In accordance with the
German Foreign Trade and Payments Law, the transaction has to be
submitted for review by the Federal Economics Ministry. At the same
time, investigations by the relevant anti-trust authorities will be
initiated.
Due to these
formalities, the close of the sale, meaning the transfer of ownership,
the cash inflow and the result-influencing consideration of the
transaction presumably will take place in the first quarter of 2006.
DaimlerChrysler is
divesting its off-highway activities as a part of the Group�s focus on
the core automotive business. In September 2005, DaimlerChrysler
acquired the shares in MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH held by the family
shareholders, bringing its equity interest up to 100%, and then
initiated an open bidding process for the sale of DaimlerChrysler
Off-Highway.
EQT is a group of
private equity funds that manages approximately � 6 billion in equity in
eight funds. EQT Partners, acting as investment advisor to all EQT
funds, has offices in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Frankfurt and
Munich. EQT realises its business concept by acquiring and developing
high-quality medium sized companies in Northern Europe. EQT serves as an
active owner and works in close co-operation with the management of the
companies it acquires, to develop and implement value-enhancing
strategies.
In total EQT has
invested in 39 companies, with combined sales of approximately �16
billion.