Genuine Parts Co. (GPC) and Alliance Automotive Group (AAG), a leading European distributor of vehicle parts, tools and workshop equipment, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Genuine Parts Co. will acquire Alliance Automotive Group from private equity funds managed by Blackstone and AAG’s co-founders. The acquisition is valued at a total purchase price of approximately $2 billion, including the repayment of AAG’s outstanding debt upon closing. The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of GPC and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and applicable regulatory approvals.
AAG is the second-largest parts distribution platform in Europe, with a focus on light vehicle and commercial vehicle replacement parts. Headquartered in London, AAG has 7,500 employees and more than 1,800 company-owned stores and affiliated outlets across France, the U.K. and Germany. AAG has a consistent track record of organic revenue and earnings growth supported by strategic investments based on a proven M&A strategy to gain scale, efficiencies and geographic coverage.
AAG is expected to generate gross annual billings of approximately $2.3 billion, including supplier direct billings, or $1.7 billion of revenue on a U.S. GAAP basis in 2017. In addition, the company expects the acquisition to be immediately accretive to earnings in the first year after closing. For 2018, incremental diluted earnings per share is estimated at 45 cents to 50 cents and adjusted earnings per share is estimated at 65 cents to 70 cents, which excludes the amortization of acquisition-related intangibles. The company expects to incur one-time transaction costs in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Paul Donahue, Genuine Parts Co.’s president and CEO, said, “We are excited to combine with AAG and enter the European markets with critical scale and a leading market position in the automotive aftermarket. AAG is poised to contribute significant sales growth and earnings accretion to Genuine Parts Co. and also serves to enhance the GPC platform for long-term, sustainable expansion across the global automotive parts industry. AAG has a strong management team and a deep bench of talent, and our similar cultures and histories make this acquisition an excellent strategic fit. We are confident this business investment will create significant value for our shareholders, and we welcome the AAG team to the Genuine Parts family. We look forward to their future contributions to our ongoing success.”
Jean-Jacques Lafont, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Alliance Automotive Group, said, “The AAG team has tremendous respect for Genuine Parts Co. and its well-deserved reputation as a longstanding leader in the automotive parts industry. We are very pleased to combine our two great businesses and leverage our collective resources and expertise to accelerate growth. AAG’s success is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our wonderful employees, without whom this transaction would not be possible. I am confident that, together, we will achieve great things and continue to provide the highest quality parts and service to our combined customers across the globe.”
Lionel Assant, head of European Private Equity at Blackstone, said, “Over the past three years, AAG has experienced tremendous growth and transformed into one of Europe’s leading automotive parts distributors. We would like to thank AAG’s management team led by Jean-Jacques Lafont and Alistair Brown for their vision and leadership as well as all its staff for their exceptional efforts. We have no doubt that the business will go on to further growth under Genuine Parts Co., which is the right partner to support AAG’s continued success.”
The company intends to finance the transaction, including the payoff of AAG’s existing debt arrangements, with approximately $2 billion of debt financing. This will include the combination of new term loan agreements, new multi-currency debt and an upsized revolving credit facility.
J.P. Morgan is acting as financial adviser to Genuine Parts Co. and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is acting as legal counsel. Lazard and UBS are serving as financial advisers to AAG and Linklaters LLP is providing legal counsel.
