Starwood has determined that the offer from a Chinese consortium is superior to the Marriott offer and the hotel group intends to terminate the Marriott deal. Marriott will now have 10 days to submit an updated offer to Starwood. If the board does not feel that Marriott’s updated offer is better than the Anbang offer, they will then be free to sign with the Chinese consortium. However, if the Starwood Board likes Marriott’s new offer, the deal will proceed wit the new terms. Unfortunately, CNBC is reporting that Marriott fully intends to make a counter-bid. Bidding war on the horizon? Here’s the full press release with all the specifics:
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide today announced that it has received a revised binding and fully financed proposal from a consortium consisting of Anbang Insurance Group Co., Ltd., J.C. Flowers & Co. and Primavera Capital Limited (the “Consortium”), that the Starwood Board of Directors, in consultation with its legal and financial advisors, has determined constitutes a “Superior Proposal,” as defined in Starwood’s merger agreement with Marriott International, Inc.
Under the terms of the Consortium’s proposal, which contains definitive documentation, the Consortium would acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Starwood for $78.00 per share in cash, an increase from the $76.00 per share proposal made by the Consortium on March 10, 2016. Pursuant to separate agreements entered into by Starwood, Starwood stockholders would additionally receive consideration in the form of Interval Leisure Group (“ILG”) common stock from the previously announced spin-off of its vacation ownership business, Vistana Signature Experiences, and subsequent merger with ILG, currently valued at approximately $5.67 per Starwood share, based on the 20-day VWAP (volume weighted average price) of ILG common stock endingMarch 17, 2016. On this basis, the Consortium proposal and the ILG transaction have a current value of $83.67 per share. The Starwood Board believes that the binding and fully financed proposal from the Consortium provides a high degree of closing certainty.
Under the terms of the merger agreement with Marriott, Starwood stockholders would receive 0.92 shares ofMarriott International, Inc. Class A common stock and $2.00 in cash for each share of Starwood common stock. Based on Marriott’s 20-day VWAP ending March 17, 2016, the merger transaction has a current value of $65.33per Starwood share, including the $2.00 cash per share consideration. Starwood stockholders will separately receive consideration from the spin-off of the Starwood timeshare business and subsequent merger with ILG of approximately $5.67 per Starwood share, based on the 20-day VWAP of ILG common stock ending March 17, 2016. On that basis, the merger with Marriott and the ILG transaction have a current value of $71.00 per share.
On March 18, 2016, Starwood notified Marriott that Starwood had received the binding proposal from the Consortium that Starwood’s Board has determined that the Consortium’s proposal constitutes a “Superior Proposal” and that Starwood’s Board intends to terminate the Marriott merger agreement and enter into a definitive agreement with the Consortium. Consistent with the terms of the Marriott merger agreement, Marriott has the right until 11:59 p.m. ET on March 28, 2016 to negotiate revisions to the existing merger agreement between Marriott and Starwood so that the proposal from the Consortium no longer constitutes a “Superior Proposal”. Starwood will negotiate in good faith with Marriott during this period, and the Starwood Board will consider in good faith any changes to the Marriott agreement that Marriott may propose during this period.
Starwood is not permitted to terminate the Marriott agreement to enter into the Consortium’s binding agreement unless the Starwood Board has determined that the Consortium’s offer continues to be a “Superior Proposal” once the negotiation period with Marriott has concluded, and taking into account any revisions to the existing Marriott agreement that are proposed by Marriott during this period. The Consortium has confirmed that its offer will remain outstanding until the expiration of Marriott’s negotiation period.
In light of these developments and the resulting need for Starwood to be able to provide sufficient time for the filing or mailing of additional information regarding these developments to its stockholders, Starwood is postponing its Special Meeting of Stockholders, which was scheduled to be held on March 28, 2016, to a date that we will establish after consultation with Marriott. Starwood’s Board has not changed its recommendation in support of Starwood’s merger with Marriott.
Lazard and Citigroup are serving as financial advisors and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP is serving as legal counsel to Starwood.
Related:
- More About the Chinese Firm Bidding for Starwood Against Marriott, Recent Deal for Four Seasons, Ritz, and JW Properties
- Starwood Receives Waiver from Marriott to Evaluate Rival Bid from Chinese Group!
- New York’s Plaza Hotel Up for Sale in Foreclosure Auction
The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
4 comments
Starwood hasn’t terminated anything yet. Marriott has 10 days to match the offer from Anbang, if they don’t then Starwood will terminate. There’s still a possibility that Marriott buys Starwood, just depends on how much they want to pay for it now.
@James – Yep, that’s exactly what the post says
@Adam – The title saying “Starwood to terminate Marriott Deal” makes it sound as though it’s a done deal. It sounds like Marriott is planning to match the offer and still swallow up Starwood. Let’s not give people too much hope here…
[…] apart since day one. Friday presented the very first bit of hope towards that cause (see – Breaking: Starwood To Terminate Marriott Deal, “Superior” Offer from Chinese Insurer Anbang!), though Marriott has until March 28th to submit a counter offer. Reading through some recent […]