Aspen acquired by Apollo
Aspen Insurance Holdings has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which it will be acquired by investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management.
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by Aspen’s board of directors, the Apollo Funds will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Aspen for $42.75 per share in cash, representing an equity value of approximately $2.6 billion.
According to Aspen the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019, subject to approval of regulators and Aspen’s shareholders and the satisfaction of other closing conditions. Consummation of the transaction is not subject to any financing contingencies. Upon completion of the transaction, Aspen will be a privately held portfolio company of the Apollo Funds and Aspen’s ordinary shares will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
“We are delighted to have reached this agreement with the Apollo Funds,” said Glyn Jones, chairman of Aspen’s Board of Directors. “This transaction, which is the outcome of a thorough strategic review by Aspen’s Board of Directors, provides shareholders with immediate value and will allow Aspen to work with an investor that has substantial expertise and a successful track record in the (re)insurance industry.”
“We are tremendously excited for the Apollo Funds to acquire Aspen,” said Alex Humphreys, partner at Apollo. “We believe that Aspen benefits from strong underwriting talent, specialised expertise and longstanding client relationships which makes them well positioned in the market. We look forward to working with Aspen to build on the existing high quality specialty insurance and reinsurance business and we aim to leverage Apollo’s resources and deep expertise in financial services to support the Company as it embarks on its next chapter.”
Chris O’Kane, Aspen’s group chief executive officer, added: “This transaction is a testament to the strength of Aspen’s franchise, the quality of our business and the talent and expertise of our people. Under the ownership of the Apollo Funds, Aspen will have additional scale and access to Apollo’s investment and strategic guidance, which will help us to accelerate our strategy and take Aspen to the next level. We are excited about the future as we embark on a new chapter in our history with a partner that understands our strengths, culture and customer-centric philosophy.”
