Buckeye Partners agrees to be acquired by IFM Investors for US$41.50 per common unit

FM Investors and Buckeye Partners, L.P. has 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 May 9, 2019 and a 31.9% premium to Buckeye’s volume-weighted average unit price since November 1, 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 6,000 miles of pipeline with over 100 delivery locations and 115 liquid petroleum products terminals with aggregate tank capacity of over 118 million barrels. Its network of marine terminals is located primarily in the East Coast and Gulf Coast regions of the United States, 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.

Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2019 and is subject to customary closing conditions. Pending transaction close, the companies will continue to operate independently. 

Evercore Group LLC is acting as lead financial advisor to IFM, and Credit Suisse, Goldman, Sachs & Co. LLC and BofA Merrill Lynch are acting as financial advisors to IFM. White & Case LLP and Baker Botts LLP are acting as legal advisors to IFM.  Intrepid Partners, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as financial advisors and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is acting as legal advisor to Buckeye.