Emerson has announced that it submitted a proposal to the Board of Directors of National Instruments (NI) to acquire NI for USD 53 per share in cash at an implied enterprise value of USD 7.6 billion.
The proposal, which is not subject to any financing conditions, was submitted to NI on November 3, 2022, and represents an improvement over an initial USD 48 per share proposal submitted on May 25, 2022. Emerson has made numerous attempts to engage constructively with NI in private since May 16, 2022, as outlined below.
The proposal represents:
- Immediate and certain cash value for all NI shareholders.
- A 32% premium to NI’s closing share price as of January 12, 2023, the day prior to NI’s public announcement of a strategic review on January 13, 2023.
- A 45% premium to NI’s closing share price as of November 3, 2022, the day Emerson submitted its latest proposal to acquire NI.
- A 38% premium to the volume weighted average price for the last 30 trading days ending January 12, 2023.
- A 23% premium to NI’s 52-week high intra-day share price of USD 43.12, as of January 12, 2023.
“Although Emerson would have preferred to reach an agreement privately, given NI’s announcement that it is undertaking a strategic review, and after refusing to work with us toward a premium cash transaction over the past 8 months, we are making our interest public for the benefit of all NI shareholders,” says Lal Karsanbhai, President and Chief Executive Officer of Emerson.
Karsanbhai continues, “We have long admired NI and believe that combining its best-in-class electronic test and measurement product and software offerings with Emerson’s industry-leading automation technology and software would enhance our ability to bring comprehensive solutions to a diverse set of end markets, accelerating growth and positioning Emerson to create significant shareholder value. We stand ready to work immediately with NI’s Board and management team to reach an agreement that would provide a compelling premium and certain cash value today for all NI shareholders.”
