Warpaint London phas announced a recommended cash acquisition of Brand Architekts Group plc, valuing the company at £13.88 million.
Under the terms of the deal, Brand Architekts shareholders will receive 48p in cash, representing a substantial premium of 100% to the closing price of 24 pence on December 4, 2024.
As an alternative to the cash offer, eligible Brand Architekts shareholders can elect to receive 0.0916 new Warpaint shares for each Brand Architekts share. Based on Warpaint’s share price of 524p on December 4, this alternative share offer is equivalent in value to the cash offer of 48p per share.
Brand Architekts shares were 85% higher at the time of writing.
The acquisition has already secured significant support, with irrevocable undertakings to vote in favour of the deal received from shareholders representing approximately 31.35% of Brand Architekts’ existing issued ordinary share capital.
Warpaint’s strategic rationale for the acquisition centres on expanding its portfolio of health, beauty, and personal care brands while leveraging potential synergies.
The company believes Brand Architekts’ high-quality brands and established customer base will complement its existing operations. Notably, Warpaint sees an opportunity to improve profitability by reducing Brand Architekts’ relatively high overhead costs, which have been partly attributed to the expenses associated with maintaining a public listing as a smaller company.
A lowly Brand Architekt valuation will have played a part in the takeover. In the last financial year, Brand Architekt generated £17m revenue and has been trading with a market cap of around £7m.
The acquisition follows Warpaint’s successful track record of integrating complementary businesses, including its purchase of Retra Holdings Limited in 2017.
Between 2017 and 2023, revenue grew 55%, and profit before tax increased 123%. Warpaint expects this latest acquisition to enhance earnings further.