MUMBAI: Late last week, Xperi Corp and TiVo Corp announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction, representing approximately $3 billion of combined enterprise value. The transaction creates a leading consumer and entertainment technology business and one of the industry’s largest intellectual property (IP) licensing platforms with a diverse portfolio of entertainment and semiconductor intellectual property.
The merger agreement provides for a 0.455 fixed exchange ratio, which implies a 15 per cent premium to TiVo’s shareholders based on each of Xperi’s and TiVo’s 90-day volume-weighted average share prices. At close, Xperi shareholders will own approximately 46.5 per cent of the combined business, and TiVo shareholders will own approximately 53.5 per cent.
The deal is expected to close during the second quarter of 2020, subject to regulatory approvals, the approval by the shareholders of each company, and other customary closing conditions.
Compelling Benefits of Combining Two Innovative Product and IP Licensing Leaders
This transaction combines two technology pioneers who have shaped how millions of consumers access and experience entertainment content, and whose innovations are found in billions of devices around the world. Serving hundreds of businesses ranging from content providers to consumer electronics and automotive manufacturers, the combined entity will provide an amazing entertainment platform for tens of millions of individual consumers and create a powerful platform for the discovery, delivery, and monetization of content.
The volume of entertainment content has exploded, with more ways than ever before to access it. TiVo’s leading content aggregation, discovery, and recommendation capabilities enable viewers to more easily find, watch, and enjoy entertainment. When coupled with Xperi’s strong presence and product capabilities in the home, automotive, and mobile device ecosystems, the combined company will have a unique industry platform to address an ever-increasing consumer desire to enjoy entertainment anywhere, anytime, on any device.
Additionally, the combination will create an intellectual property licensing platform that spans a number of the largest addressable markets in entertainment content, consumer electronics, and semiconductors. With more than 10,000 patents and applications between the two companies and minimal licensee overlap, the combined IP business will be one of the largest licensing companies in the world. Further, the combined business will benefit from greater research and development capabilities, as well as customer diversification.
“This landmark combination brings together two highly complementary companies poised to set the industry standard for user experiences across the digital value chain,” said Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner. “Together, we will be able to integrate TiVo’s leading content aggregation, metadata, discovery, and recommendation capabilities with our home, automotive, and mobile technology solutions to help our customers create experiences that excite and delight consumers. Additionally, the combined company will continue to unlock the value of our strategic and sizable patent portfolios by bringing together our deep industry expertise and powerful innovation engines. Through greater scale and diversity, we will deliver attractive and sustainable long-term cash flow and shareholder value.”
“There is more content, and more ways to enjoy that content, than ever before,” said TiVo CEO David Shull. “In a rapidly expanding and fragmenting digital universe, consumers want and need to be able to easily find and enjoy the content that matters to them. TiVo has always been the company that brings entertainment together. Now, we can significantly expand our mission. With Xperi’s annual licensing of more than 100 million connected TV units, and complementary relationships with major content providers, consumer electronics manufacturers, and automotive OEMs, our combined company will transform the home, car, and mobile entertainment experience for the consumer.”
Long-Term Vision and Value Creation
The first step in the combined company’s value creation plan will focus on integrating the companies’ respective product and IP licensing businesses. Together, the companies expect to benefit from a larger and stronger platform to drive growth and innovation, accelerate time-to-market, and improve IP licensing monetisation and outcomes. The product business expects to pursue substantial cross-selling opportunities especially in its home and automotive markets.
The new company had $1.09 billion in TiVo revenue and Xperi billings and more than $250 million in operating cash flow on a pro forma basis for the twelve months ended 30 September, 2019. The combined company expects to deliver revenue synergies by bringing new, innovative solutions to consumer electronics and automotive companies to help address the massive shift in media and entertainment distribution and consumption.
Additionally, the companies expect to achieve at least $50 million of annualised run-rate cost savings by year-end 2021 through the integration of their respective product and IP licensing businesses, the majority of which are expected within the first twelve months after closing. These cost savings are incremental to those that are expected as a result of TiVo’s ongoing cost-transformation plan.
In light of the business combination, TiVo has suspended its near-term plans to separate its product and IP businesses. Upon closing of the transaction, each company’s respective product and IP businesses will be integrated and operated as separate IP licensing and product business units. This will facilitate a potential separation of the combined businesses at a later date.
Added David Shull: “TiVo’s management team and board have engaged in a comprehensive review of TiVo’s businesses over the past year, and we are confident that this combination with Xperi is the right path forward for all our stakeholders. While we previously planned to separate our product and IP licensing businesses in April 2020, we believe today’s combination with Xperi will enable us to create even more value for our shareholders in both the near and long term by allowing each to go to market with greater financial and operational scale.”
Transaction Details
Under the terms of the merger agreement, the shares of TiVo and Xperi stockholders will be converted into the shares of the new parent company based on a fixed exchange ratio of 0.455 Xperi share per existing TiVo share. Upon completion of the merger, Xperi stockholders will own approximately 46.5 share and TiVo stockholders will own approximately 53.5 share of the new parent company on a fully diluted basis.
In connection with the transaction each company’s debt will be refinanced on a combined basis. To meet this objective, the companies have secured $1.1 billion of committed financing from Bank of America and Royal Bank of Canada.
Management and Board of Directors
Following the completion of the transaction, Xperi’s chief executive officer Jon Kirchner, will serve as chief executive officer of the new parent company and Xperi’s CFO, Robert Andersen, will serve as chief financial officer. TiVo’s chief executive officer, David Shull, will continue as a strategic advisor to ensure a successful integration.
The board of directors of the new parent company will consist of seven directors, including Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner, in addition to three directors appointed by Xperi and three directors appointed by TiVo. The chair of the board will be selected by the independent directors of the board.
The new parent company will assume the Xperi name but will continue to provide entertainment services under the TiVo brand, alongside Xperi’s premium DTS®, HD Radio®, and IMAX® Enhanced brands. The company will be headquartered in San Jose, California.
