chemicals – Stock Market Research, Option Picks, Stock Picks,Financial News,Option Research

March 8, 2023

Diversey Holdings sold for $4.6 billion

Diversey to be acquired by Solenis for $8.40 per share in cash

Solenis and Diversey Holdings (DSEY) announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Solenis will acquire Diversey in an all-cash transaction valued at an enterprise value of approximately $4.6B.

Diversey Holdings, Ltd. provides infection prevention and cleaning solutions worldwide. It operates in two segments, Institutional, and Food & Beverage.

Upon completion of the merger, Diversey will become a private company.

Under the terms of the agreement, Diversey shareholders — other than shareholders affiliated with Bain Capital Private Equity — will receive $8.40 per share in cash, which represents a premium of approximately 41.0% over Diversey’s closing share price on March 7, 2023, the last full trading day prior to the transaction announcement, and a premium of approximately 59.0% over Diversey’s 90-day volume-weighted average price.

Bain Capital will receive $7.84 per share in cash and will rollover a portion of its shares of Diversey into an affiliate of Solenis in exchange for common and preferred units of such affiliate.

Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, Solenis is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals used in water-intensive industries, which was acquired by Platinum Equity in 2021.

“The merger presents a unique opportunity to enhance value and create a more diversified business with increased scale, broader global reach, and superior customer service capabilities. It will enable the combined company to grow and provide a number of attractive cross-selling opportunities, including meeting increasing customer demand for water management, cleaning and hygiene solutions,” said Phil Wieland, Chief Executive Officer of Diversey.

Solenis CEO John Panichella will lead the combined company following the transition and integration.

Diversey’s Board of Directors formed the Special Committee to evaluate and negotiate the transaction with the assistance of independent financial and legal advisors.

Following this process, the Special Committee unanimously determined that the transaction with Solenis is in the best interests of Diversey and its shareholders, and, acting upon unanimous recommendation by the Special Committee, the Diversey Board of Directors unanimously approved the merger and recommended that Diversey shareholders vote in favor of the merger.

The Special Committee negotiated the terms of the merger agreement with assistance from its independent financial and legal advisors.

In connection with the transaction, Solenis has entered into a support agreement with Bain Capital, pursuant to which Bain Capital has agreed to vote all of its Diversey shares — which represent approximately 73% of Diversey’s outstanding shares — in favor of the transaction, subject to certain terms and conditions set forth therein.

Solenis intends to finance the transaction with a combination of committed debt and equity financing, including the contribution by Bain Capital.

The merger is expected to be completed in the second half of 2023, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval by Diversey shareholders holding a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company and receipt of regulatory approvals.

Upon closing of the transaction, Diversey’s ordinary shares will no longer be listed on any public market.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.

September 21, 2022

Rail Traffic Declines as Growth Slows!

North American rail traffic down 1% for the week ending September 17

The Association of American Railroads, AAR, reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending September 17. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 490,654 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.9% compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending September 17 were 239,528 carloads, up 2% compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 251,126 containers and trailers, down 7.3% compared to 2021.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2021.

They included coal, up 3,948 carloads, to 72,774; nonmetallic minerals, up 2,491 carloads, to 35,163; and motor vehicles and parts, up 2,185 carloads, to 13,879.

Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 included metallic ores and metals, down 3,192 carloads, to 21,581; miscellaneous carloads, down 1,623 carloads, to 8,250; and forest products, down 1,362 carloads, to 9,076. North American rail volume for the week ending September 17, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 342,034 carloads, up 3.5% compared with the same week last year, and 341,595 intermodal units, down 4.7% compared with last year.

Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 683,629 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.8%.

North American rail volume for the first 37 weeks of 2022 was 25,025,034 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.4% compared with 2021.

Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC), Union Pacific (UNP) and Trinity Industries (TRN), Greenbrier (GBX), FreightCar America (RAIL) and Wabtec (WAB).

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

October 11, 2021

Exxon gets into plastic recycling!

Exxon Mobil announces plans to build plastic waste recycling facility

Exxon Mobil (XOM) plans to build its first, large-scale plastic waste advanced recycling facility in Baytown, Texas, and is expected to start operations by year-end 2022.

A smaller, temporary facility, is already operational and producing commercial volumes of certified circular polymers that will be marketed by the end of this year to meet growing demand.

The new facility follows validation of Exxon Mobil’s initial trial of its proprietary process for converting plastic waste into raw materials.

“We’ve proven our proprietary advanced recycling technology in Baytown, and we’re scaling up operations to supply certified circular polymers by year-end,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Chemical Company. “Availability of reliable advanced recycling capacity will play an important role in helping address plastic waste in the environment, and we are evaluating wide-scale deployment in other locations around the world.”

To date, the trial has successfully recycled more than 1,000 metric tons of plastic waste, the equivalent of 200M grocery bags, and has demonstrated the capability of processing 50 metric tons per day.

Upon completion of the large-scale facility, the operation in Baytown will be among North America’s largest plastic waste recycling facilities and will have an initial planned capacity to recycle 30,000 metric tons of plastic waste per year.

Operational capacity could be expanded quickly if effective policy and regulations that recognize the lifecycle benefits of advanced recycling are implemented for residential and industrial plastic waste collection and sorting systems.

ExxonMobil is developing plans to build approximately 500,000 metric tons of advanced recycling capacity globally over the next five years.

In Europe, the company is collaborating with Plastic Energy on an advanced recycling plant in Notre Dame de Gravenchon, France, which is expected to process 25,000 metric tons of plastic waste per year when it starts up in 2023, with the potential for further expansion to 33,000 metric tons of annual capacity.

The company is also assessing sites in the Netherlands, the U.S. Gulf Coast, Canada, and Singapore.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

December 20, 2019

PolyOne buys Claiant’s color business for $1.45B

PolyOne acquires Clariant color and additive masterbatch business for $1.45B

PolyOne (POL) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Switzerland’s Clariant to purchase its global color and additive masterbatch business.

In addition, PolyOne has entered into an agreement with Clariant Chemicals India Ltd. to purchase its color and additive masterbatch business.

The combined net purchase price is $1.45B, representing an 11.1x multiple of last twelve months adjusted EBITDA, or 7.6x including anticipated synergies.

Polyone buys paint business of Clariant, Stockwinners

“This will be a truly transformational acquisition for both PolyOne and Clariant customers and employees around the world. Together, we will benefit from the combined ingenuity, passion and expertise of two global leaders in color design, additive technologies and sustainable solutions,” said Robert M. Patterson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, PolyOne Corporation.

Clariant’s color and additive masterbatch business, which had sales of $1.15 billion for the last twelve months, includes specialty technologies and solutions for high-growth global end markets, such as consumer, packaging, and healthcare.

Polyone buys Clariant’s color biz for $1.45B, Stockwinners

The Clariant business includes 46 manufacturing operations and technology centers in 29 countries and approximately 3,600 employees, who will join PolyOne’s Color, Additives and Inks segment.

PolyOne Corporation provides specialized polymer materials, services, and solutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, and Asia. It operates in four segments: Color, Additives and Inks; Specialty Engineered Materials; Performance Products and Solutions; and Distribution.

POL is up 0.89 to $36.86.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

April 29, 2019April 29, 2019

Lord Corporation sold for $3.7 billion

Parker-Hannifin to acquire LORD Corporation for $3.7B in cash

Parker Hannifin to buy Lord Corp., Stockwinners

Parker Hannifin (PH) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire LORD Corporation for approximately $3.675B in cash.

The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of each company and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

LORD, headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, is a privately-held company founded in 1924 offering a broad array of advanced adhesives, coatings and specialty materials as well as vibration and motion control technologies.

Lord Corp. sold for $3.7 billion in cash, Stockwinners

LORD’s products are used in the aerospace, automotive and industrial markets. LORD has annual sales of approximately $1.1B and employs 3,100 team members across 17 manufacturing and 15 research and development facilities globally.

“This strategic transaction will reinforce our stated objective to invest in attractive margin, growth businesses, such as engineered materials, that accelerate us towards top-quartile financial performance,” said Tom Williams, Chairman and CEO of Parker.

“LORD will significantly expand our materials science capabilities with complementary products, better positioning us to serve customers in growth industries and capitalize on emerging trends such as electrification and lightweighting.

Upon closing of the transaction, LORD will be combined with Parker’s Engineered Materials Group.

Parker plans to finance the transaction using new debt.

Following the completion of the transaction, Parker expects to maintain a high investment grade credit profile.

The transaction is not expected to impact Parker’s dividend payout target averaging approximately 30-35% of net income over a five-year period, while maintaining its record of annual dividend increases.

The transaction is expected to be completed within the next four to six months and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

August 15, 2018

KMG Chemicals sold for $1.6B

Cabot Microelectronics to acquire KMG Chemicals for $1.6B

Cabot Microelectronics (CCMP) and KMG Chemicals (KMG), a global provider of specialty chemicals and performance materials, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Cabot Microelectronics will acquire KMG in a cash and stock transaction with a total enterprise value of approximately $1.6B.

Under the terms of the agreement, KMG shareholders will be entitled to receive, per KMG share, $55.65 in cash and 0.2000 of a share of Cabot Microelectronics common stock, which represents an implied per share value of $79.50 based on the volume weighted average closing price of Cabot Microelectronics common stock over the 20-day trading period ended on August 13.

The transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of both companies and is expected to close near the end of calendar year 2018.

The combined company is expected to have annual revenues of approximately $1B and approximately $320M in EBITDA, including synergies, extending and strengthening Cabot Microelectronics’ position.

The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including HSR clearance and approval by KMG shareholders.

Cabot Microelectronics expects to finance the cash portion of the transaction consideration through a combination of existing cash and additional debt supported by commitments from its key lenders.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

August 13, 2018

Scotts Miracle-Gro dragged down by Bayer woes

Bayer drags Scotts Miracle-Gro down after Monsanto weed killer ruling

Shares of Bayer (BAYRY) trading in New York are sliding after the recently acquired Monsanto was ordered to pay $289M by a California court, who found it liable in a lawsuit alleging that the company’s Roundup caused cancer.

Commenting on the news, JPMorgan analyst Richard Vosser told investors that the selloff in the shares is “significantly overdone” as he sees the potential for the verdict to be overturned on appeal and for the damage amount to be greatly reduced.

Meanwhile, his peer at Bank of America Merrill Lynch argued that the ruling adds cloud over an important product for Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG).

ROUNDUP RULING

Last week, a jury found Monsanto, which was recently acquired by Bayer for $63B, liable in a lawsuit alleging that the company’s glyphosate-based weedkillers, including its Roundup brand, caused cancer.

The case against Monsanto is the first of more than 5,000 similar lawsuits across the U.S.

The jury at San Francisco’s Superior Court of California found that Monsanto had failed to warn school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson and other consumers of the cancer risks posed by its weed killers, and awarded Johnson $250M in punitive damages and about $39M in compensatory damages.

Monsanto, which plans to appeal the verdict, has denied that glyphosate causes cancer and has contended that decades of scientific studies have shown the chemical to be safe for human use.

SELLOFF ‘SIGNIFICANTLY OVERDONE’

In a research note to investors, JPMorgan’s Vosser said he views the selloff in shares of Bayer after a California jury ordered the company’s Monsanto unit to pay $289M for not warning of cancer risks posed by its weed killer, Roundup, as “significantly overdone.”

The analyst added that he sees the potential for the verdict to be overturned on appeal and for the damage amount to be greatly reduced. Overall, Vosser believes current share levels of Bayer provide a good long-term buying opportunity and reiterated an Overweight rating on the name.

RULING ‘ADDS CLOUD’ OVER IMPORTANT PRODUCT

Also commenting on the California court’s ruling, BofA/Merrill analyst Christopher Carey pointed out in a research note of his own that while the product is owned by Monsanto, Scotts Miracle-Gro is the exclusive distributor/marketer of consumer Roundup in the U.S. and Canada, with the brand on track to be about 15% to FY18 profit, but less in FY19 as a 3-year term for $20M annual payments from Monsanto ends in FY18.

Carey noted that he does not expect a ban of glyphosate, but argued that the court decision nevertheless “adds a cloud” over a product which is important for Scotts Miracle-Gro.

While any additional impact from Roundup is unclear, this adds another layer to risks, he contended, highlighting that the company already must overcome a number of headwinds in 2019.

The analyst reiterated an Underperform rating and $74 price target on Scotts Miracle-Gro’s shares. Meanwhile, his peer at SunTrust told investors that there is likely no legal risk to Scotts Miracle-Gro from Friday’s jury verdict in California.

As part of the master agreement between Scotts and Monsanto signed three years ago, Scotts is indemnified from any litigation relating to the Roundup/glyphosate issue, analyst William Chappell pointed out.

Further, the analyst noted that the company is not listed as a defendant in any of the cases filed against Monsanto.

Nevertheless, Chappell estimates that Roundup represents roughly 10% of Scotts’ EBITDA, and believes sales could be impacted over the long-term from these trials.

The analyst reiterated a Buy rating and $100 price target on Scotts Miracle-Gro’s shares.

PRICE ACTION

In Monday morning trading, shares of Bayer in New York have dropped over 10% to $23.75, while Scotts Miracle-Gro’s stock has slipped 2.25% to $73.65.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

September 21, 2017

Calgon Carbon sold for $1.3 billion

Japan’s Kuraray to acquire Calgon Carbon for $21.50 per share.

Calgon Carbon Corporation (CCC) and Japan’s Kuraray Co. announced that their respective board have unanimously approved, and the parties have entered into, a definitive merger agreement under which Kuraray will acquire Calgon Carbon for $21.50 per share in cash, which equates to an equity value of approximately $1.1B, and a transaction value in excess of $1.3B, including Calgon Carbon’s net indebtedness.

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval by Calgon Carbon stockholders.

The parties are targeting a closing by the end of December, 2017.

The acquisition will be completed through a merger of a newly-created subsidiary of Kuraray with and into Calgon Carbon, with Calgon Carbon as the surviving corporation.

Shares of Calgon, a manufacturer of activated carbon with capabilities in ultraviolet light disinfection, are up 59%, or $7.80, to $21.00 in premarket trading.

STOCKWINNERS

To read timely stories similar to this, along with money making trade ideas, sign up for a membership to Stockwinners.

June 15, 2017

Bank of England keeps rates unchanged

The Bank of England’s kept rates unchanged at 0.25%

Bond Buyback to continue at GBP 10B

Stockwinners offers winning stock research since 1998

The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee voted by a majority of 5-3 to maintain Bank Rate at 0.25%.

The split among Bank of England policy makers widened this month as three officials called for a rate increase, warning that inflation could rise more than previously thought.

The Committee voted unanimously to maintain the stock of sterling non-financial investment-grade corporate bond purchases, financed by the issuance of central bank reserves, at GBP 10B.

The Committee also voted unanimously to maintain the stock of UK government bond purchases, financed by the issuance of central bank reserves, at GBP 435B.

The pound jumped after the decision and was up 0.24 percent at $1.2781. Bonds fell, with the 10-year gilt yield rising 9 basis points to 1.01 percent.

Citing the pound’s recent decline, the BOE said inflation could overshoot the 2 percent target by more than previously thought. The three hawks also said that slack in the labor market appeared to have diminished.

For the majority, reasons for keeping policy unchanged included slowing consumer spending and economic growth.

The outcome of the U.K. vote complicates the prospects for Brexit talks. When the BOE updated its economic forecasts last month, it assumed that Britain’s adjustment to a new relationship with the European Union will be “smooth” — avoiding a so-called cliff edge.

To read stories similar to this, sign up for a free trial membership to Stockwinners; be sure to check the Market Radar section.

The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility.