Vista and Evergreen to acquire Citrix for $16.5 billion
Citrix Systems announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which affiliates of Vista Equity Partners (“Vista”) and Evergreen Coast Capital Corporation (“Evergreen”), an affiliate of Elliott Investment Management L.P. (“Elliott”), will acquire Citrix in an all-cash transaction valued at $16.5 billion, including the assumption of Citrix debt.
Under the terms of the agreement, Citrix shareholders will receive $104.00 in cash per share. The per share purchase price represents a premium of 30 percent over the Company’s unaffected 5-day VWAP as of December 7, 2021, the last trading day before market speculation regarding a potential transaction, and a premium of 24 percent over the closing price on December 20, 2021, the last trading day prior to media reports regarding a potential bid from Vista and Evergreen.
In connection with the transaction, Vista and Evergreen intend to combine Citrix and TIBCO Software (“TIBCO”), one of Vista’s portfolio companies. TIBCO is a global leader in enterprise data management, empowering its customers to connect, unify, and confidently predict business outcomes.
The combination brings together Citrix’s secure digital workspace and application delivery suite with TIBCO’s real-time intelligent data and analytics capabilities to empower customers and users with the secure application and information access and insights they need to accelerate digital transformation and navigate the hybrid workplace.
The union will create one of the world’s largest software providers, serving 400,000 customers, including 98 percent of the Fortune 500, with 100 million users in 100 countries. Further, it will accelerate Citrix’s defined growth strategy and SaaS transition. The combined company will be positioned to provide complete, secure and optimized infrastructure for enterprise application and desktop delivery and data management to advance hybrid cloud IT strategies and meet the needs of the modern enterprise.
“Over the past three decades, Citrix has established itself as the clear leader in secure hybrid work. Our market-leading platform provides secure and reliable access to all of the applications and information employees need to get work done, wherever it needs to get done. By combining with TIBCO, we will expand this platform and the outcomes our customers achieve,” said Bob Calderoni, Chair of the Citrix Board of Directors and Interim Chief Executive Officer and President.
“Together with TIBCO, we will be able to operate with greater scale and provide a larger customer base with a broader range of solutions to accelerate their digital transformations and enable them to deliver the future of hybrid work. As a private company, we will have increased financial and strategic flexibility to invest in high-growth opportunities, such as DaaS, and accelerate its ongoing cloud transition.”
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of a strategic review process conducted over five months, including extensive outreach to both potential financial and strategic buyers,” continued Calderoni. “This transaction provides our shareholders with significant immediate cash value. Moreover, this investment by Vista and Evergreen is a testament to the value Citrix has created and the reputation our team has built.”
Added Dan Streetman, CEO of TIBCO, “There has never been a better time to be in the business of connected intelligent analytics, and we’re thrilled to bring our industry-leading solutions to Citrix’s global customers. The workplace has changed forever, and companies everywhere will require real-time access to faster, smarter insights from the increasingly large volumes of data available to them, their employees, and their ecosystems. I couldn’t be more excited about our combined vision and look forward to a strong partnership.”
“We have always viewed Citrix as a true technology pioneer, building and defining so many categories that have changed the landscape of the industry,” said Monti Saroya, Co-Head of Vista’s Flagship Fund and Senior Managing Director. “As a private company, Citrix will have access to additional resources and support, as well as more flexibility to take advantage of strong secular tailwinds with trends supporting modern and secure remote hybrid work to serve the combined customer base and invest in high growth markets.”
“Citrix and TIBCO provide mission-critical software and services to many the world’s most successful businesses, and we see tremendous value in combining their respective world-class offerings to help companies gather insight from the growing volumes of data generated by the hybrid work economy. Both businesses have now completed transitions to approximately 90% recurring revenue, poising the go-forward combined business to drive future growth,” said John Stalder, Managing Director at Vista. “We look forward to partnering with Evergreen and the Citrix and TIBCO teams to ensure this is a seamless transition for all stakeholders.”
“We have long appreciated the mission-critical role that Citrix plays in keeping workforces connected,” said Managing Partner Jesse Cohn and Senior Portfolio Manager Jason Genrich on behalf of Evergreen and Elliott. “Having first invested in Citrix more than six years ago, we have a deep understanding of its unique strengths and significant potential as a private company. We look forward to partnering with Vista and working closely with Citrix’s management team and its talented employees to expand its capabilities and help drive its next phase of growth.”
Terms of the transaction
The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the members of the Citrix Board of Directors voting on the matter, is expected to close mid-year, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Citrix shareholders and receipt of regulatory approvals.
The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. Upon completion of the transaction, Citrix’s shares will no longer trade on the Nasdaq, and Citrix will become a private company. Citrix will continue to operate under the Citrix name and brand, and will remain headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Elliott and certain of its affiliates, which hold an approximately 12% interest in Citrix through a combination of outstanding shares of Citrix common stock and derivatives, have entered into a voting agreement with Citrix, pursuant to which they have agreed, among other things, to vote their shares of Citrix common stock in favor of the transaction.
Advisors
Qatalyst Partners is serving as financial advisor to Citrix, and Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal counsel.
BofA Securities, Barclays, Citi, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Lazard and Mizuho Securities USA LLC, are serving as financial advisors to Vista and Evergreen. Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as legal counsel for Vista and TIBCO, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP are acting as legal counsel for Evergreen.