Proofpoint Enters Definitive Agreement to be Acquired by Thoma Bravo in $12.3 Billion Transaction
Proofpoint, Inc. , a leading cybersecurity and compliance company, announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Thoma Bravo, a leading private equity investment firm focused on the software and technology-enabled services sector, in an all-cash transaction that values Proofpoint at approximately $12.3 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, Proofpoint shareholders will receive $176.00 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 34 percent over Proofpoint’s closing share price on April 23, 2021, the last full trading day prior to the transaction announcement, and a premium of approximately 36 percent over Proofpoint’s three-month volume-weighted average closing share price through April 23, 2021.
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Upon completion of the transaction, Proofpoint will become a private company with the flexibility and resources to continue providing the most effective cybersecurity and compliance solutions to protect people and organizations around the world. Additionally, Proofpoint will benefit from the operating capabilities, capital support and deep sector expertise of Thoma Bravo – one of the most experienced and successful software investors in the world.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the strength of Proofpoint’s people-centric approach to cybersecurity and compliance and underscores our important role preventing, defending and responding to today’s threats,” said Gary Steele, Chairman and CEO of Proofpoint. “We have made tremendous strides in expanding the sophistication and scale of our offerings, and in 2020 we generated more than $1 billion in annual revenue – making Proofpoint the first SaaS-based cybersecurity and compliance company to reach that milestone.
We believe that as a private company, we can be even more agile with greater flexibility to continue investing in innovation, building on our leadership position and staying ahead of threat actors. Thoma Bravo is an experienced software investor, providing capital and strategic support to technology organizations, and our partnership will accelerate Proofpoint’s growth and scale at an even faster pace. This is an exciting new chapter for Proofpoint that would not have been possible without our employees’ hard work and commitment to our customers, partners and each other.”
Dana Evan, Lead Independent Director of the Proofpoint Board of Directors, said, “We are confident that this transaction is a great outcome for our shareholders, our employees, our customers and our Company. Following Thoma Bravo’s approach, we thoroughly reviewed the proposal with the assistance of independent financial and legal advisors. We determined this premium, all-cash offer and partnership would create immediate and certain value for shareholders and help us achieve our operational and market ambitions more quickly for the benefit of our customers. Today’s announcement is a credit to the Proofpoint team which has delivered outstanding operating performance without ever losing sight of our customers, positioning the Company to capture significant value for our shareholders.”
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“Proofpoint has achieved tremendous outcomes for customers around the world, and we’re excited to partner with this talented team at a moment when organizations need innovative solutions to navigate an increasingly treacherous cybersecurity environment,” said Seth Boro, a Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo. “Proofpoint places people at the center of its compliance and security strategy and plays a vital role in helping enterprises protect their data.
Thoma Bravo’s approach to value creation is rooted in partnering with the organization in which we invest and looking for opportunities to both enhance their existing operations and build technology platforms that drive significant growth. Proofpoint’s opportunity as a privately held company is incredibly compelling, and we look forward to working closely with them to drive continued business growth and deliver world-class advanced threat protection to even more customers in even more ways.”
“Proofpoint has established itself as a true powerhouse in the cybersecurity sector due to its innovative suite of market-leading products and impressive customer base of leading companies around the world,” said Chip Virnig, a Partner at Thoma Bravo. “As the sophistication of cyberattacks continues to increase, Proofpoint is delivering the most effective solutions to help organizations protect their data and people across digital platforms. We look forward to partnering with the talented Proofpoint team and leveraging Thoma Bravo’s significant security and operational expertise to help accelerate the Company’s growth.”
Transaction Details
Proofpoint’s Board of Directors (“the Board”) has unanimously approved the agreement with Thoma Bravo and recommends that Proofpoint shareholders vote in favor of the transaction at the Special Meeting of Shareholders to be called in connection with the transaction.
The agreement includes a 45-day “go-shop” period expiring on June 9, 2021, which allows the Board and its advisors to actively initiate, solicit and consider alternative acquisition proposals from third parties. The Board will have the right to terminate the merger agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. There can be no assurance that this “go-shop” will result in a superior proposal, and Proofpoint does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the solicitation process unless and until it determines such disclosure is appropriate or otherwise required.
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Proofpoint shareholders and receipt of regulatory approvals. Upon closing of the transaction, Proofpoint’s common stock will no longer be listed on any public market. The Company will continue to be headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
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In a separate press release, Proofpoint today announced its first quarter fiscal year 2021 financial results. The press release is also available on the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website. In light of the announced transaction with Thoma Bravo, Proofpoint has cancelled its earnings conference call previously scheduled for April 29, 2021.
Advisors
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Proofpoint, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as its legal counsel. Financing for the transaction is being provided by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is also serving as financial advisor to Thoma Bravo, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as its legal counsel.
