- Madison Dearborn Partners announced it is buying MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI) for $1.8 billion. These are the details.
MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI) – a global leader in the evolution of digital P2P payments – and Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC, a leading private equity firm based in Chicago, announced a definitive agreement under which funds affiliated with MDP will acquire all outstanding shares of MoneyGram for $11 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.8 billion. This purchase price represents a meaningful premium of approximately 50% to MoneyGram’s unaffected closing stock price on December 14, 2021, the last trading day prior to media speculation regarding a possible transaction.
Deal Terms
Under the terms of the deal, which was unanimously approved by the MoneyGram Board of Directors, MoneyGram shareholders will receive $11 in cash for each share of MoneyGram common stock they own. In addition, upon the closing of the transaction MDP will be refinancing the company’s outstanding debt, which was $799 million as of December 31, 2021.
The committed debt financing for the transaction has been provided by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Barclays. And the transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by MoneyGram shareholders and receipt of regulatory approvals, including required approvals in various jurisdictions related to money transmitter licenses. Upon the completion of the deal, MoneyGram will become a private company and MoneyGram shares will no longer be listed on any public market.
The agreement includes a 30-day “go-shop” period expiring on March 16, 2022. And during this period, the MoneyGram Board and its advisors are permitted to actively initiate, solicit, encourage and evaluate alternative acquisition proposals, and potentially enter into negotiations with any parties that may offer alternative acquisition proposals.
MoneyGram is going to have the right to terminate the MDP agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of such agreement. And there can be no assurance that this “go-shop” process will result in a superior proposal or that any other transaction will be approved or completed. MoneyGram does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the go-shop process unless and until its Board of Directors determines such disclosure is appropriate or is otherwise required.
Following the close of the transaction, it is expected that MoneyGram will continue to operate under the MoneyGram brand and be led by Alex Holmes and the company’s existing leadership team. MoneyGram will maintain its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are excited to enter into this transaction with MDP, which will deliver immediate and compelling value to shareholders and enable us to accelerate the advancement of our digital growth strategy. This transaction is the culmination of a thorough process by the MoneyGram Board to enhance shareholder value while positioning our business for continued growth and expansion. MoneyGram has undergone a rapid transformation over the last several years to expand our digital capabilities and adapt to the evolving needs of our customers. By partnering with MDP and becoming a private company, we will have greater opportunities to innovate and transform MoneyGram to lead the industry in cross-border payment technology and deliver a more expansive set of digital offerings, while leveraging our global platform for new customers and use cases. This transaction provides exciting opportunities for our dedicated MoneyGram team and partners, and I’m incredibly excited about the path ahead.”
– Alex Holmes, MoneyGram Chairman and CEO
“MoneyGram is a leader in cross-border payments with one of the strongest brands and reputations in the industry, and we are excited to partner with Alex and his leadership team as they continue to lead MoneyGram’s digital growth strategy. We are looking forward to applying our substantial experience growing digital businesses and deep payments knowledge to help MoneyGram further strengthen its market-leading cross-border capabilities and enhance its digital platform. Alex and his team have transformed MoneyGram over the past few years, and we are excited to help them execute the important work ahead to continue evolving and growing MoneyGram’s business.”
– Vahe Dombalagian, a Managing Director on MDP’s Financial and Transaction Services team
