Verso to Acquire NewPage for $900 Million
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Verso President and CEO David Paterson said in a statement earlier this week that the buyout will put it in a better position to face increased competition. The deal was unanimously approved by both companies' boards. It is targeted to close in the second half of this year.
NewPage shareholders will receive $250 million in cash and $650 million in notes. Verso will also take on $500 million in NewPage debt, raising the total value of the deal to some $1.4 billion. NewPage will also receive Verso shares representing 20% of the outstanding stock immediately prior to closing. This amount may be adjusted to up to 25% under certain circumstances. The deal also includes the refinancing of NewPage's $500 million term loan.
The combined company will have annual sales of about $4.5 billion and 11 mills in six U.S. states. The deal is expected to save at least $175 million in pretax costs in the first 18 months after the closing, likely in the second half of the year, the companies said. Also part of the deal, a NewPage director will join Verso's board, the companies added.
Verso is a producer of coated gloss, matte, and dull printing papers papers, uncoated book papers, and specialty packaging, label, release, and pharmaceutical insert papers. Privately held NewPage produces a broad portfolio of commercial printing papers, ranging from coated, digital, specialty, and book, to supercalendered and uncoated.
