Eutelsat and key OneWeb shareholders have signed an MoU with a view to combine the two companies in an all-share transaction. It comes only one day after the two companies officially confirmed they were in discussions about such a move.
They see it as “creating a leading global player in connectivity”, achieved by Eutelsat combining its 36-strong fleet of GEO satellites with OneWeb’s constellation of 648 Low Earth Orbit satellites, of which 428 are currently in orbit.
The transaction would be structured as an exchange of OneWeb shares by its shareholders (other than Eutelsat) with new shares issued by Eutelsat, such that, at closing, Eutelsat would own 100% of OneWeb (excluding the ‘Special Share’ of the UK Government). OneWeb shareholders would receive 230 million newly issued Eutelsat shares representing 50% of the enlarged share capital.
The transaction values OneWeb at $3.4 billion, implying a value of €12 per Eutelsat share (including the dividend, before synergies).
Eutelsat will continue to be headquartered and domiciled in France and listed on Euronext Paris. It will also apply for admission to standard listing on the London Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, trading under its existing name, OneWeb will continue to operate the LEO business, with its headquarters remaining in the UK.
Commenting on the combination, Dominique D’Hinnin, Eutelsat’s chairman, said: “I am delighted to announce this new and significant step in the collaboration between Eutelsat and OneWeb. Bringing together our two businesses will deliver a global first, combining LEO constellations and GEO assets to seize the significant growth opportunity in Connectivity, and deliver to our customers solutions to their needs across an even wider range of applications. This combination will accelerate the commercialisation of OneWeb’s fleet, while enhancing the attractiveness of Eutelsat’s growth profile. In addition, the combination carries significant value creation potential, anchored on a balanced mix of revenue, cost and capex synergies. The strong support of strategic shareholders of both parties is a testament to the huge opportunity that this combination offers and the value that will be created for all its stakeholders. This is truly a game changer for our industry”.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, OneWeb’s executive chairman, added: “Having played a pioneering role in providing connectivity in the emerging world, I am excited about the possibilities of connecting the unconnected. The combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb represents a significant development in that direction as well as a unique GEO/LEO combination. The positive early results of our service together with our strong pipeline represent a very exciting opportunity in the fast-growing satellite connectivity segment, especially for customers requiring a high speed, low latency experience. Our customers are actively seeking a combined GEO/LEO offering leading us towards this important step. Bharti, as the lead shareholder of OneWeb, along with other key shareholders, is looking forward to playing a meaningful role in providing expanded connectivity through the combination of OneWeb and Eutelsat”.
Eva Berneke, Eutelsat’s CEO, said: “Our initial investment in OneWeb was underpinned by our strong belief that the future growth in Connectivity will be driven by both GEO and LEO capacity. This belief has intensified as our relationship with OneWeb has deepened, first by raising our stake in the company, and then with the global distribution agreement signed a few months ago. We are now moving to the next level, with a full combination that will ensure the potential of the GEO/LEO integration is fully realized, supported by compelling financial, strategic, and industrial logic. This ground-breaking combination will create a powerful global player with the financial strength and technical expertise to accelerate both OneWeb’s commercial deployment, and Eutelsat’s pivot to Connectivity. The combined entity will be geared towards profitable growth, with strong medium-term cash flow generation and a rapid deleveraging driven by strong forecast EBITDA growth. The benefits for our customers and strategic partners, who are at the centre of our strategy, are both significant and unique. This is also a very exciting opportunity for our employees who will be key to the success of this transformation”.
Neil Masterson, OneWeb’s CEO, continued: “Just 20 months ago, OneWeb resumed its mission to connect the unconnected and remove the barriers to connectivity that hold back many of the world’s underserved economies and communities. Since then, we have turned this vision into reality and become the second largest low Earth orbit satellite operator in the world. Today’s announcement is another bold step in OneWeb’s remarkable journey. It is testament to the resilience, execution and innovation of our teams, the strong demand we have seen since launching our commercial services, and the close collaboration we have forged with our partners to provide high-speed, low latency connectivity for governments, businesses, and communities. This combination accelerates our mission to deliver connectivity that will change lives at scale and create a fast growing, well-funded company which will continue to create significant value for our shareholders”.
Broadband TV News notes that news of the combination has come alongside Eutelsat reporting its FY 2021-22 results.These show that its revenues were down 6.7% at €1,151.6 million and EBITDA 6.5% lower at €861.6 million. However, its net income rose by 7.8% to €230.8 million.
