Entropic (ENTR) to Be Acquired by MaxLinear (MXL)

Shares of Entropic Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:ENTR) are down 0.01 to $2.69 in after-hours trading after MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE:MXL) and ENTR announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for MaxLinear to acquire Entropic. The boards of directors of both MaxLinear and Entropic have unanimously approved the transaction.

Entropic shareholders will receive (i) $1.20 per share in cash and (ii) 0.2200 shares of MaxLinear common stock for each Entropic common share outstanding. Based on MaxLinear’s closing stock price on February 2, 2015, the merger consideration is valued at approximately $3.01 per Entropic share. The implied total transaction value is approximately $287 million and the implied enterprise value is $181 million, net of Entropic’s cash balance as of December 31, 2014. Shareholders of MaxLinear and Entropic will own approximately 65% and 35%, respectively, post completion of the acquisition.

The acquisition will add significant scale to MaxLinear’s analog/mixed-signal business, expanding its addressable market and enhancing the strategic value of MaxLinear’s offerings to its broadband and access partners, OEM customers, and service providers. MaxLinear sees immediate cross-selling opportunities and longer-term platform integration opportunities with Entropic’s leading MoCA technology.

Along with broadening MaxLinear’s presence in its existing markets, Entropic adds immediate scale and deep customer relationships in MaxLinear’s most recent growth area of the satellite Pay-TV market. Entropic’s design talents and portfolio of approximately 1,500 issued and pending patents are highly complementary, and MaxLinear is uniquely positioned to capitalize on these assets.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to bring together two talented and largely complementary teams, as we increase our capabilities to solve the most difficult analog and mixed-signal RF challenges in Broadband markets,” said Dr. Kishore Seendripu, CEO of MaxLinear. “We believe the scale and strategic benefits of a broader technology portfolio will enable us to accelerate our expansion into new markets more effectively. The financial benefits of the transaction should be immediately visible, as we expect non-GAAP earnings accretion in the first full quarter post-close.”

Dr. Ted Tewksbury, Interim President and CEO of Entropic, commented,

“I share Kishore’s enthusiasm for this combination, which we believe maximizes value for Entropic’s shareholders, employees and customers. These are two excellent companies in the industry, and I believe our stakeholders will benefit from the resources and scale that the combination will provide.”

Other Transaction and Financial Details

As a result of the combination, MaxLinear anticipates it will achieve operating synergies in excess of $20 million in the first full calendar year post-close. Increased scale and projected cost savings are expected to lower combined non-GAAP operating expenses, generate significant operating margin expansion, and accelerate MaxLinear’s timing to achieving its stated target operating model.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015 subject to approval by the shareholders of both companies, the receipt of regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions. MaxLinear will add Dr. Ted Tewksbury to its board of directors upon closing of the transaction.

Stifel is acting as exclusive financial advisor to MaxLinear. Barclays is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Entropic. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. is acting as counsel for MaxLinear and Cooley LLP is acting as counsel for Entropic.

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