Veritas Capital to Acquire Perspecta in All-Cash Transaction Valued at $7.1 Billion
Perspecta stockholders to receive $29.35 in cash per share
Veritas to combine Perspecta with affiliate Peraton to create a leading platform in government technology solutions
Chantilly, Va. – Perspecta Inc. (NYSE: PRSP) (“Perspecta” or the “Company”), a leading U.S. government services provider, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which it will be acquired by Peraton, a portfolio company of leading private investment firm Veritas Capital (“Veritas”), in an all-cash transaction valued at $7.1 billion.
Under the terms of the agreement, Perspecta stockholders will receive $29.35 per share in cash, which represents a premium of 49.7% to the Company’s unaffected closing stock price of $19.60 on November 6, 2020, the last trading day prior to media reports being published regarding a potential strategic process for Perspecta, and a premium of 11.8% to the closing stock price of $26.25 on January 26, 2021.
Following the closing of the transaction, Perspecta will be combined with Peraton, a trusted provider of highly differentiated space, intelligence, cyber, defense, homeland security and communications capabilities to select federal agencies and commercial entities. The combination will create a leading government technology provider that delivers end-to-end capabilities in IT and mission support and serves as the strategic partner of choice across a diverse array of U.S. government customers.
Ramzi Musallam, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Veritas said, “As a long-time investor in Perspecta and its predecessor companies for over a decade, we have always recognized Perspecta for its market differentiation, leading-edge IP, and focused execution in the government technology space. Through the combination with Peraton, we have assembled a strong portfolio of top-tier government technology providers with complementary offerings and are confident that the addition of our resources and industry expertise will enable Perspecta to deliver even greater value to its customers and stakeholders.”
Veritas is a significant Perspecta stockholder today, holding approximately 14.5% of Perspecta’s shares outstanding. The government technology market has been a key focus area for Veritas since its inception.
“Today marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Perspecta. This announcement is the culmination of a comprehensive review process. Having considered all opportunities available, the Perspecta Board of Directors is confident this transaction offers the most compelling value creation for shareholders,” said Mac Curtis, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Perspecta. “Together with Peraton and with the flexibility Perspecta will have as a private company supported by Veritas, Perspecta will be well positioned to build on our momentum and continue executing on customer commitments as Perspecta delivers cyber, digital-transformation and mission-focused solutions. Looking ahead, Perspecta remains fully committed to serving our customers with dedication, integrity and excellence and ensuring a seamless transition for our employees.”
Stu Shea, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Peraton said, “Perspecta brings highly skilled talent and differentiated technology expertise across a broad range of customers in the government markets which will complement our offerings and enhance our ability to drive innovation. Together, we will create a top-tier, privately-owned government technology business with a focus on missions of consequence. We look forward to welcoming the Perspecta team to Peraton and to building on our growth and success as a proven and trusted partner.”
Approvals and Timing
The transaction, which has been approved by the Perspecta Board of Directors, is expected to close in the first half of calendar 2021, subject to approval by Perspecta stockholders as well as the receipt of regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Advisors
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP is serving as legal advisor to Veritas and Peraton. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Stone Key Partners LLC are serving as financial co-advisors and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as legal advisor to Perspecta in connection with the transaction.
About Veritas Capital
Veritas is a longstanding investor in companies operating at the intersection of technology and government. The firm invests in companies that provide critical products and services, primarily technology and technology-enabled solutions, to government and commercial customers worldwide, including those operating in the healthcare, national security, software, education, aerospace & defense, government services, communications, and energy industries. Veritas seeks to create value by strategically transforming the companies in which it invests through organic and inorganic means.
For more information on Veritas, visit www.veritascapital.com.
About Peraton
Peraton provides innovative, reliable solutions to the nation’s most sensitive and mission-critical programs and systems. As a trusted provider of highly differentiated space, intelligence, cyber, defense, homeland security, and communications capabilities, Peraton is a critical partner to the Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, and select federal agencies and commercial entities. Headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, the company employs 3,500 people across the U.S. and Canada. For more information on news and updates on Peraton, visit www.Peraton.com/news.
About Perspecta Inc.
At Perspecta (NYSE: PRSP), we question, we seek and we solve. Perspecta brings a diverse set of capabilities to our U.S. government customers in defense, intelligence, civilian, health care and state and local markets. Our 280+ issued, licensed and pending patents are more than just pieces of paper, they tell the story of our innovation. With offerings in mission services, digital transformation and enterprise operations, our team of nearly 14,000 engineers, analysts, investigators and architects work tirelessly to not only execute the mission, but build and support the backbone that enables it. Perspecta was formed to take on big challenges. We are an engine for growth and success and we enable our customers to build a better nation. For more information about Perspecta, visit perspecta.com.
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Important Information for Investors and Stockholders
This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction involving the Company and Peraton, an affiliate of Veritas Capital. In connection with the proposed transaction, the Company intends to file the relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, the Company will mail the definitive proxy statement and a proxy card to each stockholder of the Company entitled to vote at the special meeting relating to the proposed transaction. This communication is not a substitute for the proxy statement or any other document that the Company may file with the SEC or send to its stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. The materials to be filed by the Company will be made available to the Company’s investors and stockholders at no expense to them and copies may be obtained free of charge on the Company’s website at www.perspecta.com. In addition, all of those materials will be available at no charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Investors and stockholders of the Company are urged to read the proxy statement and the other relevant materials when they become available before making any voting or investment decision with respect to the proposed transaction because they contain important information about the Company and the proposed transaction.
The Company and its directors, executive officers, other members of its management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies of the Company stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction under SEC rules. Investors and stockholders may obtain more detailed information regarding the names, affiliations and interests of the Company’s executive officers and directors in the solicitation by reading the Company’s proxy statement for its 2020 annual meeting of stockholders, the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, and the proxy statement and other relevant materials that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction when they become available. Information concerning the interests of the Company’s participants in the solicitation, which may, in some cases, be different than those of the Company’s stockholders generally, will be set forth in the proxy statement relating to the proposed transaction when it becomes available.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements and assumptions in this communication that do not directly and exclusively relate to historical facts could be deemed “forward-looking statements.” Forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “forecast,” “goal,” “intends,” “objective,” “plans,” “projects,” “strategy,” “target” and “will” and similar words and terms or variations of such. These statements represent current intentions, expectations, beliefs or projections, and no assurance can be given that the results described in such statements will be achieved. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the potential benefits of the proposed transaction; the prospective performance and outlook of the Company’s business, performance and opportunities; the ability of the parties to complete the proposed transaction and the expected timing of completion of the proposed transaction; as well as any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in such statements, many of which are outside of the Company’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, (i) the ability to obtain the requisite approval from stockholders of the Company; (ii) uncertainties as to the timing of the proposed transaction; (iii) the risk that the proposed transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all; (iv) the possibility that competing offers or acquisition proposals for the Company will be made; (v) the possibility that any or all of the various conditions to the consummation of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or waived, including the failure to receive any required regulatory approvals from any applicable governmental entities (or any conditions, limitations or restrictions placed on such approvals); (vi) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, including in circumstances that would require the Company to pay a termination fee or other expenses; (vii) the effect of the pendency of the proposed transaction on the Company’s ability to retain and hire key personnel, its ability to maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business, its business generally or its stock price; (viii) risks related to diverting management’s attention from the Company’s ongoing business operations; (ix) the risk that stockholder litigation in connection with the proposed transaction may result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; (x) various risks related to health epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have material adverse effects on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows; (xi) any issue that compromises the Company’s relationships with the U.S. federal government, or any state or local governments, or damages the Company’s professional reputation; (xii) changes in the U.S. federal, state and local governments’ spending and mission priorities that shift expenditures away from agencies or programs that the Company supports; (xiii) any delay in completion of the U.S. federal government’s budget process; (xiv) failure to comply with numerous laws, regulations and rules, including regarding procurement, anti-bribery and organizational conflicts of interest; (xv) failure by the Company or its employees to obtain and maintain necessary security clearances or certifications; (xvi) the Company’s ability to compete effectively in the competitive bidding process and delays, contract terminations or cancellations caused by competitors’ protests of major contract awards received by the Company; (xvii) the Company’s ability to accurately estimate or otherwise recover expenses, time and resources for its contracts; (xviii) problems or delays in the development, delivery and transition of new products and services or the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; (xix) failure of third parties to deliver on commitments under contracts with the Company; (xx) misconduct or other improper activities from the Company’s employees or subcontractors; (xxi) delays, terminations, or cancellations of the Company’s major contract awards, including as a result of its competitors protesting such awards; (xxii) failure of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting to detect fraud or other issues; (xxiii) failure or disruptions to the Company’s systems, due to cyber-attack, service interruptions or other security threats; (xxiv) failure to be awarded task orders under the Company’s indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contracts; (xxv) changes in government procurement, contract or other practices or the adoption by the government of new laws, rules and regulations in a manner adverse to the Company; (xxvi) uncertainty from the expected discontinuance of the London Interbank Offered Rate and transition to any other interest rate benchmark; and (xxvii) other factors as set forth from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020, as may be updated or supplemented by any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date they are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this communication or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by law.
Contacts for Veritas:
David Millar / Julie Rudnick / Kevin Siegel
Sard Verbinnen & Co
[email protected]
Contact for Peraton:
Matt McQueen
Chief Communications Officer
703.668.3448 office
202.365.3505 mobile
[email protected]
Contacts for Perspecta:
Lorraine M. Corcoran
Vice President, Corporate Communications
571.313.6054 office
301.529.9429 mobile
[email protected]
Michael V. Pici
Vice President, Investor Relations
571.612.7065 office
914.296.4220 mobile
[email protected]