This item is part of Stockwatch's value added news feed and is only available to Stockwatch subscribers.Here is a sample of this item:Terra Industries Board of Directors Rejects CF Industries’ Latest Proposal 2009-11-04 07:30 ET - News Release SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- (Business Wire)
Terra Industries Inc. (NYSE: TRA) (“Terra”) today announced that its
Board of Directors, with the advice of its financial and legal advisors,
has carefully reviewed CF Industries Holdings, Inc.’s (NYSE: CF) latest
proposal to acquire Terra for the equivalent of $24.50 in cash (which
equals the net value of CF’s announced offer of $32.00 that will be
reduced by Terra’s previously declared $7.50 per share special cash
dividend) and 0.1034 of a share of CF common stock, and unanimously
rejected it as inadequate, opportunistic and not in the best interests
of Terra and its shareholders.
In rejecting CF’s latest proposal, the Board considered a number of
factors, including the following:
-
CF’s proposal significantly undervalues Terra’s near term and long
term prospects, as illustrated by the following:
-
CF’s November 2, 2009 presentation justifies its inadequate
proposal using a 2010 EBITDA estimate for Terra of $525 million,
which is in fact significantly less than Terra’s projection of
approximately $694 million.
-
Using CF’s own proposed multiple of 6.7x1 Terra’s
projected 2010 EBITDA would indicate an enterprise value of $4.65
billion. Applying CF’s own adjustments, this would imply an equity
value of $51.55 per share for Terra.
-
Alternatively, using CF’s mean NTM EBITDA industry acquisition
multiple of 7.6x2 would imply an enterprise value of
approximately $5.27 billion for Terra, which equates to $57.74 per
share, a price which would still be substantially accretive to CF.
-
Terra’s excellent near term outlook, particularly the strong
fundamentals for nitrogen demand in the U.S. agricultural business in
the coming growing season and moderate natural gas costs.
-
Terra’s projected operating improvements in 2010, specifically revenue
growth of more than 25% over 2009 and robust operating margins, which
would result in EBITDA of $694 million for the year.
-
Terra’s expansion of the UAN capacity at its Woodward facility,
recognizing that UAN has been among the fastest growing nitrogen
products in the United States.
-
Significant upside in Terra’s Environmental Technologies business,
which Terra expects to generate $400-500 million in DEF revenues by
2015.
-
Terra’s ability to continue to make strategic and opportunistic
acquisitions that build shareholder value, such as Terra’s pending
acquisition of a 50% interest in Agrium Inc.’s (NYSE: AGU) Carseland
nitrogen manufacturing facility and its acquisition of Mississippi
Chemical Corporation.
-
Terra’s track record of delivering value to its shareholders in the
form of stock buybacks and dividends, which have amounted to over $1.0
billion over the last four years, including the $750 million to be
paid to all Terra shareholders in December as a $7.50 per share
special dividend ($1.00-$1.50 of which is estimated as a tax-free
return of capital).
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