Berry issued 6.5 million common shares and paid $297 million as merger consideration in exchange for all of the outstanding shares of AEP common stock and outstanding AEP equity awards. Additionally, Berry paid $164 million to retire outstanding AEP debt. Berry financed the cash consideration of the acquisition with a new $500 million 7-year term loan. Including the new shares issued, Berry’s outstanding common stock has increased to approximately 129 million shares, resulting in a market capitalization of approximately $6.5 billion.
“We are extremely excited to complete the acquisition of AEP and to welcome the AEP team to the Berry Plastics organization,” said Jon Rich, Chairman and CEO of Berry Plastics. “The acquisition of AEP has given us the opportunity to expand the breadth of product offerings and production capacity within our Engineered Materials Division, enabling us to better serve our customers. Moreover, we anticipate opportunity for significant value creation for our shareholders, as we realize synergies in both our operations and in our materials procurement.”
Citigroup acted as exclusive financial advisor and Bryan Cave acted as legal advisor for Berry Plastics. BofA Merrill Lynch acted as exclusive financial advisor and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn acted as legal advisors for AEP.
About Berry Plastics
Berry Plastics Group, Inc. is a leading provider of value-added plastic consumer packaging, nonwoven specialty materials, and engineered materials delivering high-quality customized solutions to our customers. The Company’s world headquarters is located in Evansville, Indiana, with net sales of $6.5 billion in fiscal 2016 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BERY. For additional information, visit the Company’s website at www.berryplastics.com.
