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Lender Processing Services, Inc. Announces an Adjustment to the Consideration Mix in Its Acquisition by Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
JACKSONVILLE, FL (June 19, 2013) Lender Processing Services, Inc. (NYSE:LPS), a leading provider of integrated technology, services, data and analytics to the mortgage and real estate industries, today announced that Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FNF) has exercised its option to adjust the consideration mix in its previously announced acquisition of LPS by increasing the cash component of the total consideration by approximately $500 million and correspondingly decreasing the stock component of the total consideration by an equal amount.
FNF will directly provide $300 million of the $500 million increase, with funds affiliated with Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. (“THL”) providing the remaining $200 million. The total consideration will be unchanged and the additional $500 million cash component will be offset by an equal reduction in the stock component of the total consideration.
On May 28, 2013, LPS signed a definitive agreement under which FNF will acquire all of the outstanding stock of LPS for $33.25 per common share, for a total equity value of approximately $2.9 billion.
Under the definitive agreement, FNF’s shares of common stock have been valued at $25.489 per share (the “Reference Price”). Based on the increased cash component of the total consideration, that now represents a fixed exchange ratio of 0.42948 shares of FNF common stock for each share of LPS common stock. Based on the Reference Price, FNF currently expects to issue approximately 37.8 million shares of FNF common stock to LPS common stockholders, representing approximately 14.2% of FNF’s pro-forma, fully diluted outstanding shares.
Based on today’s announcement, if FNF’s average common stock price at closing is greater than $26.763, the exchange ratio will be adjusted to reflect the increased value that would have been received at closing without today’s increase in the cash consideration. If FNF’s average common stock price at closing is greater than $24.215 but less than $26.763, the exchange ratio remains fixed at 0.42948 per share of FNF common stock. If FNF’s average common stock price at closing is between $20.00 and $24.215 per share, FNF will increase the number of shares of FNF common stock to be received by LPS stockholders such that LPS stockholders receive a minimum of $10.40 per share in value on the stock portion of the consideration, or $32.703 per share in total. If FNF’s average common stock price at closing is less than $20.00, the exchange ratio will be fixed at 0.52000 per share of FNF common stock, in which event LPS will have a right to terminate the transaction. Additionally, on or before three trading days prior to the anticipated date of effectiveness of FNF’s registration statement on Form S-4, FNF has the option to further increase the cash portion of the consideration from $22.303 per share of LPS common stock up to $33.25 per share of LPS common stock with a corresponding decrease in the stock portion of the merger consideration as provided for under the terms of the merger agreement, in which case the exchange ratio will be adjusted to reflect the new consideration mix. However, if FNF elects to further increase the cash portion of the consideration and FNF’s average common stock price at closing is greater than $26.763, then the exchange ratio will be further adjusted to continue to reflect the increased value that would have been received at closing without any change in consideration mix.
The acquisition agreement includes a “go-shop” period effective through July 7, 2013, during which LPS is permitted to actively solicit alternative acquisition proposals from third parties. The acquisition agreement contains a break-up fee equal to approximately 1.25% of the total equity value of $2.9 billion payable to FNF if LPS terminates the acquisition agreement based on receiving a superior proposal during the “go-shop” period. The acquisition agreement also contains a break-up fee equal to approximately 2.5% of the total equity value if LPS fails to hold a shareholders meeting or terminates the agreement after the expiration of the “go-shop” period because it received a superior proposal after the expiration of the “go-shop” period. In addition, the acquisition agreement includes a break-up fee equal to approximately 2.5% of the total equity value if (i) a competing offer for LPS is made public by a third party, (ii) the acquisition agreement is terminated either as a result of the LPS shareholders voting against the transaction or the date of March 31, 2014 being reached and the LPS shareholders meeting not having been held or if LPS breaches its obligations which results in the failure of a closing condition and (iii) within twelve months after termination, LPS enters into or consummates any alternative transaction.
The transaction is subject to approval by LPS and FNF stockholders, approvals from applicable federal and state regulators and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. Closing of the transaction is currently expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2013.
About LPS
Lender Processing Services (NYSE: LPS) delivers comprehensive technology solutions and services, as well as powerful data and analytics, to the nation’s top mortgage lenders, servicers and investors. As a proven and trusted partner with deep client relationships, LPS offers the only end-to-end suite of solutions that provides major U.S. banks and many federal government agencies the technology and data needed to support mortgage lending and servicing operations, meet unique regulatory and compliance requirements and mitigate risk. These integrated solutions support origination, servicing, portfolio retention and default servicing. LPS’ servicing solutions include MSP, the industry’s leading loan-servicing platform, which is used to service approximately 50 percent of all U.S. mortgages by dollar volume. LPS also provides proprietary data and analytics for the mortgage, real estate and capital markets industries.
LPS is a Fortune 1000 company headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., and employs approximately 7,500 professionals. For more information, please visit www.lpsvcs.com.