Torrent Pharma seeks CCI clearance to acquire majority stake in JB Pharma in Rs 19500 crore deal
Ahmedabad: Torrent Pharmaceuticals has sought clearance from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for its massive Rs 19,500 crore acquisition of a majority stake in JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals.
This deal, once approved and completed, will catapult Torrent into the position of India’s second most valued pharmaceutical company.
"The proposed combination relates to acquisition of shareholding by the acquirer (Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd) in the target (J B Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd) and the subsequent amalgamation of the target with the acquirer," as per the notice filed with the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
Both companies activities exhibit horizontal overlaps in certain markets, particularly in the manufacturing and sale of pharmaceutical formulations (FDFs) in India, PTI reported.
This clearance was sought after the Torrent Pharma announcement in June about the acquisition of a majority stake in J B Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals in a Rs 19,500-crore deal.
In June, Torrent said it will acquire 46.39 per cent stake from promoters Tau Investment Holdings Pte Ltd, an affiliate of global investment firm KKR, for about Rs 11,917 crore. It would additionally buy another 2.80 per cent from certain employees of JB Chemicals at the same acquisition price of Rs 1,600 per share (totaling Rs 719 crore).
Post this, it would make an open offer for buying 26 per cent from open market, as per listing norms, at a price of Rs 1,639.18 per share (totaling Rs 6,842.8 crore).
This will be the second biggest deal in the pharma sector ever, behind Sun Pharmaceutical Industries' 2015 acquisition of Ranbaxy Laboratories. Post share purchase, JB Pharma will merge into Torrent.
In 2020, KKR had bought a 65 per cent stake in JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals. In March this year, KKR divested a 5.8 per cent stake in JB Pharma for Rs 1,460 crore through open market transactions.
Established in 1976, JB Pharma produces a range of pharmaceuticals in areas such as gastroenterology, dermatology and diabetes, etc.
In April 2014, Sun Pharma had announced it would acquire troubled rival Ranbaxy in an all-stock transaction worth USD 4 billion that includes USD 800 million debt. The merger was 'consummated' following receipt of requisite approvals a year later in March 2015.
Torrent Pharmaceuticals is the flagship company of the Torrent group and is engaged in the business of manufacturing and sale of pharmaceutical formulations (FDFs) across therapeutic segments
J B Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals is engaged in business of manufacturing and marketing of diverse range of FDFs and APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) and also provides CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation) services as well.
