(Alliance News) - Warpaint London PLC on Thursday announced that Brand Arkitekts Group PLC had agreed to its GBP13.9 million all-cash acquisition bid.
The Buckinghamshire, England-based cosmetics company offered the Teddington, England-based beauty product supplier 48 pence per share. Warpaint and Brand Arkitekts expect to close the deal in the first quarter of 2025.
Brand Arkitekts' directors unanimously recommended the offer, which is double the company's 24p share price at Wednesday's market close. It represents an 85% premium on the 25.89 per share average for the three months ended on Wednesday, and a 96% boost to the 24.52p average reported in the last year.
Alternatively, Brand Architekts shareholders will be eligible for 0.0916 in new Warpaint shares for each Brand Architekts share they hold. Based on Wednesday's market close, which priced Warpaint shares at 524.00p each, this would amount to 48.00p per Brand Arkitekts share.
Following the announcement, Warpaint proposed raising GBP15 million to fund the acquisition. Of this amount, the company planned to raise GBP1 million through a retail offer of 196,078 shares priced at 510.00p each. The remaining GBP14 million was to be come via the placing of around 2.7 million shares in capital.
Warpaint later on Thursday reported the placing's success, with all directors participating and subscribing for an aggregate amount of GBP582,499. Final results for the retail offer will be announced on December 9.
Brand Arkitekts's largest shareholder Peter Gyllenhammar has undertaken to vote in favour of the takeover when it is brought before shareholders, 75 per cent of whom must approve for the offer to proceed.
Warpaint currently sells products under brand names W7 and Technic, and distributes white label cosmetics to high-street retailers in the UK and Europe.
"Having followed Brand Architekts for some time, as another company admitted to trading on AIM operating in a similar sector, the Warpaint board believes that the acquisition at this time is an exciting and relatively low risk opportunity", the company said. Warpaint added that Brand Arkitekts had similar potential to its prior acquisitions, and would benefit from joining "a larger, successful health, beauty and personal care business".
Warpaint's Chief Executive Officer Sam Bazini commented: "As part of a larger group we believe applying our established supply and distribution channels and approach to Brand Architekts will improve efficiency, reduce costs and drive profitability".
Brand Arkitekts Chair Roger McDowell said the board appreciated the offer's "certainty of value [...] against the backdrop of an uncertain macro-economic environment" and maintained confidence in the brand's prospects despite recent market challenges.
On Thursday morning in London, Brand Arkitekts shares surged by 92% to 46.15p each, and Warpaint shares were up 2.7% at 538.00p each.
By Holly Munks, Alliance News reporter
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