CHICAGO, Ill. — Littelfuse, Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the circuit protection business of TE Connectivity Ltd. for $350 million in cash. This business has a leading position in polymer-based resettable circuit protection devices with a strong global presence in the automotive, battery, industrial, communications and mobile computing markets. The business is headquartered in Menlo Park, California with manufacturing facilities in Shanghai and Kunshan, China and Tsukuba, Japan.
“This business is an excellent strategic fit with Littelfuse,” said Gordon Hunter, CEO of Littelfuse. “It will expand our global circuit protection product portfolio as well as our presence in the automotive electronics and battery end markets. This business has a long history of technology innovation and new product development, and its synergies with our existing circuit protection business will drive deeper engagement with our customers and channel partners. The business will also significantly increase our presence in Japan and serve as a platform for future growth.”
Transaction Highlights
The TE circuit protection business had estimated revenue of $190 million in fiscal 2015 with an EBITDA margin of approximately 20%. The company expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to earnings excluding acquisition and integration related costs. The company expects cost synergies of at least $10 million annually starting in 2017.
The transaction, which was approved by the Littelfuse Board of Directors, is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016 and will be financed through a combination of cash on hand and bank debt. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz is acting as legal advisor to Littelfuse.
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