Pfizer and Allergan to Merge in $160B Megadeal
U.S biopharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc. and Ireland-based Allergan plc announce they will merge, in a historic $160 billion deal that could allow Pfizer to escape U.S. corporate tax rates by moving its headquarters to Dublin.
The companies' boards of directors have unanimously approved the merger in a stock transaction currently valued at $363.63 per Allergan share, for a total enterprise value of approximately $160 billion, based on the closing price of Pfizer common stock of $32.18 on November 20, 2015. Allergan shareholders will receive 11.3 shares of the combined company for each of their Allergan shares, and Pfizer stockholders will receive one share of the combined company for each of their Pfizer shares.
Under the terms of the proposed transaction, the businesses of Pfizer and Allergan will be combined under Allergan plc, which will be renamed “Pfizer plc.” The companies expect that shares of the combined company will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under the “PFE” ticker. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company is expected to maintain Allergan’s Irish legal domicile. Pfizer plc will have its global operational headquarters in New York and its principal executive offices in Ireland.
With the addition of Allergan, Pfizer will enhance its R&D capabilities in both new molecular entities and product line extensions. The merger brings a combined pipeline of more than 100 mid-to-late stage programs in development and resources to invest in R&D and manufacturing.
The combination of Pfizer and Allergan will significantly increase the scale of Pfizer’s established business. The addition of Allergan’s Women’s Health and Anti-Infectives portfolio will add depth to Pfizer’s established business, and Pfizer will expand the reach of Allergan’s established portfolio using its existing commercial capabilities, infrastructure and global scale. In addition, Allergan brings topical formulation, manufacturing and its Anda distribution capabilities to the combined company.
As a result of the combination with Allergan and subsequent integration of the two companies, Pfizer now expects to make a decision about a potential separation of the combined company’s innovative and established businesses by no later than the end of 2018. Pfizer anticipates the transaction will deliver more than $2 billion in operational synergies over the first three years after closing.
Pfizer plc’s board is expected to have 15 directors, consisting of all of Pfizer’s 11 current directors and 4 current directors of Allergan. The directors from Allergan will be Paul Bisaro, Allergan’s current Executive Chairman, Brent Saunders, Allergan’s current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and two other directors from Allergan to be selected at a later date. Ian Read, Pfizer’s Chairman and CEO, will serve as Chairman and CEO of the combined company. Brent Saunders will serve as President and Chief Operating Officer of the combined company. He will be responsible for the oversight of all Pfizer and Allergan’s combined commercial businesses, manufacturing and strategy functions.
The completion of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2016, is subject to certain conditions, including receipt of regulatory approval in certain jurisdictions, including the United States and European Union, the receipt of necessary approvals from both Pfizer and Allergan shareholders, and the completion of Allergan’s pending divestiture of its generics business to Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd., which Allergan expects will close in the first quarter of 2016.
Guggenheim Securities, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Centerview Partners and Moelis & Company are serving as Pfizer’s financial advisors for the transaction, with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and A & L Goodbody acting as its legal advisors.
J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley are serving as Allergan’s financial advisors for the transaction with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP and Arthur Cox acting as its legal advisors.
The companies' boards of directors have unanimously approved the merger in a stock transaction currently valued at $363.63 per Allergan share, for a total enterprise value of approximately $160 billion, based on the closing price of Pfizer common stock of $32.18 on November 20, 2015. Allergan shareholders will receive 11.3 shares of the combined company for each of their Allergan shares, and Pfizer stockholders will receive one share of the combined company for each of their Pfizer shares.
Under the terms of the proposed transaction, the businesses of Pfizer and Allergan will be combined under Allergan plc, which will be renamed “Pfizer plc.” The companies expect that shares of the combined company will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange and trade under the “PFE” ticker. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company is expected to maintain Allergan’s Irish legal domicile. Pfizer plc will have its global operational headquarters in New York and its principal executive offices in Ireland.
With the addition of Allergan, Pfizer will enhance its R&D capabilities in both new molecular entities and product line extensions. The merger brings a combined pipeline of more than 100 mid-to-late stage programs in development and resources to invest in R&D and manufacturing.
The combination of Pfizer and Allergan will significantly increase the scale of Pfizer’s established business. The addition of Allergan’s Women’s Health and Anti-Infectives portfolio will add depth to Pfizer’s established business, and Pfizer will expand the reach of Allergan’s established portfolio using its existing commercial capabilities, infrastructure and global scale. In addition, Allergan brings topical formulation, manufacturing and its Anda distribution capabilities to the combined company.
As a result of the combination with Allergan and subsequent integration of the two companies, Pfizer now expects to make a decision about a potential separation of the combined company’s innovative and established businesses by no later than the end of 2018. Pfizer anticipates the transaction will deliver more than $2 billion in operational synergies over the first three years after closing.
Pfizer plc’s board is expected to have 15 directors, consisting of all of Pfizer’s 11 current directors and 4 current directors of Allergan. The directors from Allergan will be Paul Bisaro, Allergan’s current Executive Chairman, Brent Saunders, Allergan’s current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and two other directors from Allergan to be selected at a later date. Ian Read, Pfizer’s Chairman and CEO, will serve as Chairman and CEO of the combined company. Brent Saunders will serve as President and Chief Operating Officer of the combined company. He will be responsible for the oversight of all Pfizer and Allergan’s combined commercial businesses, manufacturing and strategy functions.
The completion of the transaction, which is expected in the second half of 2016, is subject to certain conditions, including receipt of regulatory approval in certain jurisdictions, including the United States and European Union, the receipt of necessary approvals from both Pfizer and Allergan shareholders, and the completion of Allergan’s pending divestiture of its generics business to Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd., which Allergan expects will close in the first quarter of 2016.
Guggenheim Securities, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Centerview Partners and Moelis & Company are serving as Pfizer’s financial advisors for the transaction, with Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and A & L Goodbody acting as its legal advisors.
J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley are serving as Allergan’s financial advisors for the transaction with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, Latham & Watkins LLP and Arthur Cox acting as its legal advisors.