セキュリティ分野のパイオニア2社が統合。
インターネット・セキュリティ分野でのグローバルリーダーシップを強化
セキュリティソフトのベンダーであるAvast Softwareと、ビジネス、モバイル、PCデバイス向けのセキュリティソフトウェア開発企業であるAVG Technologies（NYSE：AVG）は、両社が買収合意を締結したことを発表しました。Avastは、合意に基づいてAVGの発行済普通株式のすべてを1株あたり25.00ドルの現金で購入します。取引総額は約13億ドルです。両社はそれぞれ1980年代後半と1990年代前半にチェコ共和国で設立され、2000年代には海外進出を果たしました。Avastは今後、セキュリティ業界で継続的な成長を遂げるため、両社の強みを相互補完的に活用していく考えです。
Avastが今回の買収を推進する目的は、スケールの拡大と技術的深化、さらには展開地域の拡大を図ることにあります。これを実現することで、新生Avastはインターネット・セキュリティ分野で新たな成長の機会を獲得するとともに、効率的な組織による事業を展開することができます。Avastは今後、技術的深化と地理的な展開を推進し、コアビジネスの顧客にはより高度なセキュリティ製品を、IoTデバイス向けセキュリティなどの新興市場では新たな革新を提供します。
AvastとAVGのユーザ数を合算すると、1億6,000万のモバイル・エンドポイントを含む4億以上のエンドポイントによるネットワークが完成します。これらが事実上のセンサーとして機能することで、マルウェアに関する情報が得られ、新たな脅威の出現時には直ちにこれを検出・無効化できます。このようなスケールの拡大により、Avastは今後、より高度な技術に基づくパーソナル・セキュリティ/プライバシー製品の開発が可能となります。
今回の取引は、Avastの取締役会と監査役会によって満場一致で承認されました。AVGの取締役会と監査役会も本取引を承認・支持しており、AVGの株主には承認の申し入れを行っています。
Avast Softwareの最高経営責任者であるヴィンス・ステックラー（Vince Steckler）は、次のように述べています。「私たちの業界は急速に変化しています。そうしたなかで、今回の買収により、私たちはセキュリティプロバイダーとして現在および将来のお客様から選ばれるために必要な幅と技術的な深みを得ることができます。ともにチェコ共和国で設立され、共通の文化と使命を持つ最高のテクノロジー企業2社の強みが組み合わされることで、圧倒的な成長を見せるIoT向けセキュリティなど、今後の新たな機会を生かすための絶好のポジションを得ることができます。」
AVGの最高経営責任者であるゲーリー・コバックス（Gary Kovacs）は、次のように述べています。「非公開企業として圧倒的なリソースを持つAvastとの協力は、私たちの成長目標を全面的に後押しすると同時に、当社株主にとって最善の利益をもたらすものと考えています。新たなスケールを得られることで、成長市場への投資を加速できるとともに、今後も一般消費者と企業の双方にシンプルで使い勝手に優れる包括的なソリューションを提供し続けることができます。オンライン・セキュリティの定義は、デバイス中心のものから、デバイス、データ、人に関するものへとシフトしています。そうしたなかで、合併後の企業はより強力な価値を提供し、この成長市場のリーダーとして確固たる地位を築くものと考えています。」
Avastについて:
世界で最も信頼されるモバイル及びPC向けセキュリティアプリケーションを提供するAvastソフトウェア (英語: www.avast.com/en-us/; 日本語: www.avast.co.jp) は、世界で2億3,000万を超えるユーザとモバイルデバイス、コンピュータを保護しています。Avastはコンピュータセキュリティビジネスのパイオニアの1社で、25年間以上にわたって、PC、Mac、Android向け無料アンチウイルスソフトから、個人及び法人向け有償版のスイート製品とサービスを提供しています。Avastの製品は世界各国の一般向けダウンロードサイトでトップクラスにランクされており、第三者機関のVB100、AV-Comparatives、AV-Test、OPSWAT、ICSA Labs、West Coast Labsによって認定されています。Avastはグローバルな未公開株式投資に関するアドバイザリーファームであるCVC Capital Partnersの支援を受けています。
AVG（NYSE：AVG）について：
AVGは、デバイス、データ、人のセキュリティを確保するソフトウェア・サービスのリーディング・プロバイダです。数々の受賞歴を誇るAVGのコンシューマ向けポートフォリオは、モバイル機器とデスクトップ向けのインターネット・セキュリティ、パフォーマンス最適化、位置情報サービス、データ制御/洞察、プライバシー/アイデンティティ保護で構成されます。グローバルなパートナー・ネットワークを通じて提供されるAVGの企業用ポートフォリオも数々の受賞歴を誇り、クラウド・セキュリティとリモート監視・管理（RMM）ソリューションの提供を通じ、世界中の中堅・中小企業を保護しています。詳細については、www.avg.comをご覧ください。
本件に関するお問い合わせ先:
ホフマンジャパン株式会社 (Avastソフトウェア国内広報代理)
担当: タレイ / 伊藤
電話: 03-5159-5750
Email: mtalay@hoffman.com / aito@hoffman.com
ご参考情報
The Transactions:
The transaction is structured as an all-cash tender offer for all outstanding ordinary shares of AVG at a price of $25.00 per share in cash. Avast plans to finance the transaction using cash balances on hand and committed debt financing from third party lenders. Avast has received a financing commitment of $1.685 billion from Credit Suisse Securities, Jefferies and UBS Investment Bank. In addition, Avast has contributed $150 million in equity investment to fund the transaction. The proposed transaction is not subject to a financing condition.
The offer price represents a 33% premium over the July 6, 2016 closing price and a premium of 32% over the average volume weighted price per share over the past six months. The contemplated tender offer will be subject to certain shareholder approvals, the receipt of regulatory clearances, the tender of at least 95% of the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG or, if AVG shareholders approve the asset sale contemplated in the purchase agreement, the tender of at least 80% of the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG, and other customary closing conditions. Additionally, certain shareholders including funds affiliated with TA Associates, who hold approximately 13% of the issued and outstanding shares of AVG, respectively, have committed to support the transaction and tender their shares in the offer.
If at least 95% of the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG are acquired in the contemplated tender offer, Avast expects to acquire the ordinary shares of AVG that were not tendered into the tender offer through the compulsory share acquisition process under Section 2:92a/2:201a of the Dutch Civil Code. If AVG’s shareholders approve the asset sale contemplated in the purchase agreement at the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to be convened shortly by AVG and the tender offer is successfully completed with Avast acquiring less than 95% but at least 80% of the outstanding ordinary shares of AVG, then Avast plans to effect an asset sale pursuant to which Avast will acquire substantially all of the assets, and assume substantially all of the liabilities, of AVG promptly following the tender offer. Following the completion of the asset sale, AVG will be liquidated and the remaining minority shareholders of AVG will receive cash distributions with respect to each ordinary share owned by them equal to the per share cash consideration paid in the tender offer less any applicable dividend withholding tax or any other taxes. The offer will be described in more detail in a tender offer statement on Schedule TO to be filed by Avast and a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 to be filed by AVG. The transaction is expected to close sometime between September 15, and October 15, 2016, depending on the timing of regulatory review.
Advisors:
Jefferies International Limited is acting as exclusive financial advisor, and White & Case LLP and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. are acting as legal advisors, to Avast. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as financial advisor to AVG and Bridge Street Securities, LLC is acting as independent financial advisor to the supervisory board of AVG. Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and Allen & Overy LLP are acting as legal advisors to AVG.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This communication contains forward-looking information that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” “expect,” “are confident that,” “objective,” “projection,” “forecast,” “goal,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “effort,” “target,” “would” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terms. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include risks and uncertainties related to, among other things: general economic conditions and conditions affecting the industries in which Avast and AVG operate; the uncertainty of regulatory approvals; the parties' ability to satisfy the conditions to the contemplated tender offer and consummate the transactions described in this communication; and AVG's performance and maintenance of important business relationships. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in AVG's SEC filings, including AVG's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2015. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and neither Avast nor AVG assumes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise, except as required by law.
Additional Information and Where to Find It:
The tender offer referenced in this communication has not yet commenced. This communication is for informational purposes only and is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell any ordinary shares of AVG or any other securities, nor is it a substitute for the tender offer materials that Avast will file with the SEC. The solicitation and offer to purchase ordinary shares of AVG will only be made pursuant to an Offer to Purchase, a related letter of transmittal and certain other tender offer documents. At the time the tender offer is commenced, Avast will file a tender offer statement on Schedule TO, including an Offer to Purchase, a related letter of transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, and AVG will file a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9, with the SEC, each with respect to the tender offer. The tender offer statement (including the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents) and the solicitation/ recommendation statement will contain important information. AVG’s shareholders are urged to read the tender offer statement and Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, as they may be amended from time to time, as well as any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, when they become available, carefully and in their entirety because they will contain important information that holders of AVG’s securities should consider before making any decision regarding tendering their securities. The Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, will be made available to all holders of ordinary shares of AVG at no expense to them. The tender offer materials and the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement will be made available for free at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by AVG will be available free of charge on AVG’s website at investors.avg.com. In addition to the Offer to Purchase, the related Letter of Transmittal and certain other tender offer documents, as well as the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, AVG files annual, quarterly and current reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any reports or other information filed by AVG at the SEC public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. AVG’s filings with the SEC are also available to the public from commercial document-retrieval services and at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov.