SanDisk Purchases Fusion-io for $1.1B in Cash
SanDisk Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Fusion-io
Leader in Application Acceleration Flash Solutions to Boost SanDisks Enterprise Growth
MILPITAS, Calif. & SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash storage solutions, today announced a definitive agreement to acquire Fusion-io (FIO), a leading developer of flash-based PCIe hardware and software solutions that enhance application performance in enterprise and hyperscale datacenters. The acquisition will be an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion, net of cash assumed.
Fusion-io will accelerate our efforts to enable the flash-transformed data center, helping companies better manage increasingly heavy data workloads at a lower total cost of ownership, said Sanjay Mehrotra, SanDisk president and CEO. Customers will benefit from the addition of Fusion-ios leading PCIe solutions to SanDisks vertically integrated business model. We look forward to working with the world-class engineering and go-to-market teams from Fusion-io to provide high-value solutions to customers around the world.
Under the terms of the agreement, SanDisk will commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Fusion-io for $11.25 per share in cash. SanDisk will fund the acquisition with cash available on its balance sheet. The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is subject to customary closing conditions, including clearance from relevant regulatory authorities and the completion of the tender offer. It is expected that the transaction will close in the third quarter of SanDisks fiscal 2014 and be accretive to non-GAAP earnings in the second half of SanDisks fiscal 2015.
This transaction represents a compelling opportunity for Fusion-ios employees, customers and shareholders, said Shane Robison, chairman and CEO of Fusion-io. Fusion-ios innovative hardware and software solutions will be augmented by SanDisks worldwide scale and vertical integration, enabling a combined company that can offer an even more compelling value proposition for customers and partners.
Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as financial advisor and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP acted as legal advisor to SanDisk. Qatalyst Partners acted as financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati acted as legal advisor to Fusion-io.
CONFERENCE CALL
SanDisk will host a conference call today, June 16, 2014 at 5:30 a.m., PDT, to discuss the acquisition. The conference call will be webcast and can be accessed live at SanDisks website at www.sandisk.com/IR. To participate in the call via telephone, the dial-in number is 913-312-1450 and the dial-in password is 7166112.
ABOUT SANDISK
SanDisk Corporation (SNDK), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company, is a global leader in flash storage solutions. For more than 25 years, SanDisk has expanded the possibilities of storage, providing trusted and innovative products that have transformed the electronics industry. Today, SanDisks quality, state-of-the-art solutions are at the heart of many of the world’s largest data centers, and embedded in advanced smart phones, tablets and PCs. SanDisks consumer products are available at hundreds of thousands of retail stores worldwide. For more information, visit www.sandisk.com.
ABOUT FUSION-IO
Fusion-io accelerates the data-intensive applications that enrich our lives. As the industry leader, we provide the most advanced portfolio of flash memory products for small businesses to the world’s largest data centers. More than 7,000 customers in over 80 countries look to our solutions to increase performance, speed and reliability while reducing latency, inefficiencies and cost. Along the way, Fusion-io is redefining the datacenterall flashto handle today’s most complex big data applications. More information about Fusion-io (FIO) is available at www.fusionio.com.