Vinci to acquire ACS’ energy business

VINCI has signed an agreement to acquire ACS’s energy business.

The deal consists in:

• most of the ACS Industrial Services’ contracting business. With a workforce of around 45,000 employees in c. 50 countries, it offers a breadth of support services – spanning network, specialized facilities, control systems – as well as an integrated offer to realize EPC projects, mainly for the energy sector. It is a global powerhouse with footprint in Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Chile;
• eight greenfield concession projects under development and/or construction, mainly in the electrical transmission field;
• ACS’s renewables development platform. This platform has a long and recognized track-record of developing renewables concessions projects, with 4.4 GW developed over the past three years.

The transaction price is based on an enterprise value of EUR4.2 billion (US$4.9 billion). It leads to an estimated purchase price at closing of c. EUR4.9 billion (US$5.7 billion), assuming a closing at year-end 2021 and after taking into account around EUR0.7 billion (US$0.8 billion) of net cash items, working capital and other adjustments. In addition, ACS would receive additional payments of EUR40 million (US$47 million) for each ready-to-build GW developed by the company over a period of maximum 8.5 years after closing, up to 15 GW – i.e., a cumulative maximum contingent payment over time of EUR600 million (US$705 million).

The acquisition will be financed through VINCI’s available cash and credit lines.

Moreover, VINCI and ACS also intend to build a partnership through the setting up of a joint venture, with the right to acquire at market terms ‘mature renewables assets’, i.e. fully developed, built and connected to the grid by the company in the future. This JV would be 51%-owned and fully consolidated by VINCI.

The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including merger control, and is anticipated to close around the end of year 2021.