Buckeye Partners acquired by IFM Investors
Published by Tom Mostyn,
Editorial Assistant
Tanks and Terminals,
IFM Investors and Buckeye Partners, LP have announced a definitive agreement under which the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund will acquire all of the outstanding public common units of Buckeye for US$41.50 per common unit. The all-cash transaction is valued at US$10.3 billion enterprise value and US$6.5 billion equity value. The acquisition price represents a 27.5% premium to Buckeye’s closing unit price on 9 May 2019 and a 31.9% premium to Buckeye’s volume-weighted average unit price since 1 November 2018, which is the last trading day prior to Buckeye’s announcement of certain strategic actions. Buckeye’s Board of Directors unanimously approved the proposed transaction with IFM. The closing of the merger will be subject to approval of a majority of the Buckeye unitholders, certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Buckeye owns and operates one of the largest diversified networks of integrated midstream assets, including 6000 miles of pipeline with over 100 delivery locations and 115 liquid petroleum products terminals with aggregate tank capacity of over 118 million bbl. Its network of marine terminals is located primarily in the East Coast and Gulf Coast regions of the US, as well as in the Caribbean.
IFM is a pioneer and leader in infrastructure investing on behalf of institutional investors globally, with a 23-year track record of success. IFM has US$90 billion of assets under management, including US$39.1 billion in infrastructure, which it manages on behalf of more than 370 institutional investors, and takes a long-term approach to investing, with no pre-determined time divestiture horizon. IFM targets core infrastructure in developed markets and currently has interests in 32 investments across North America, Australia and Europe, including several midstream assets.
“This acquisition is aligned with IFM’s focus on investing in high quality, essential infrastructure assets that underpin the economies in which they operate,” said Julio Garcia, Head of Infrastructure, North America of IFM.
“We are pleased to have the opportunity to bring the Buckeye business and management team under the IFM umbrella,” said Jamie Cemm, Executive Director of IFM. “The proposed acquisition of Buckeye is a complementary addition to IFM’s substantial investments in energy infrastructure across North America and globally. We look forward to supporting the continuing growth of the business.”
“Buckeye’s Board of Directors recently reviewed strategic options for the business and determined that IFM’s proposal to acquire Buckeye is in the best interest of Buckeye,” said Clark C. Smith, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Buckeye. “The proposed transaction will provide immediate and enhanced value for our unitholders with an attractive premium that accelerates long-term returns and represents the underlying value of our business. In addition, the proposed transaction will provide Buckeye with superior access to capital to execute on its long-term business strategy. We look forward to this next chapter in Buckeye’s 133-year story.”
Read the article online at: https://www.tanksterminals.com/storage-tanks/14052019/buckeye-partners-acquired-by-ifm-investors/
You might also like
EU Commission releases statement on European gas storage levels
Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson has released a statement on record post-winter gas storage levels in Europe.