Marking a year of significant transformation under its new management team, First Data Corporation today announced that First Data Holdings Inc., the direct parent company of First Data, has received commitments to purchase approximately $3.5 billion of its common equity in a private placement. The net proceeds from the private placement will be used to strengthen the company’s balance sheet through repaying portions of its debt, allowing the company to focus additional capital on accelerating its transformation to a solutions and innovation company that helps First Data clients grow their businesses.
The $3.5 billion comprising the private placement announced includes $1.5 billion from existing investors and $2.0 billion from new investors, including a diverse group of pension funds, mutual funds, asset managers and wealthy individuals. KKR provided approximately $1.2 billion, including $500 million from its 2006 Fund and $700 million from its balance sheet. Upon close of the transaction, KKR’s balance sheet will have approximately $1.0 billion invested in First Data’s equity, through general partner and limited partner interests.
The private placement follows the first year of leadership under Chairman and CEO Frank Bisignano, during which the management team of First Data has implemented a comprehensive shift in the company’s vision for the future, corporate culture and client focus, transforming it from a payments processor to a collaborative solutions provider that partners with clients of all sizes. Clients that partner with First Data to help grow their businesses include thousands of financial institutions and millions of small-, medium- and large-sized businesses, from Main Street shops to the world’s largest corporations.
Over the past year, First Data has used its market-leading position, with operations in 35 countries, to bring to market client-focused products that build on its unrivaled infrastructure, scale, partnerships and distribution network. With increased speed of product delivery, the company has harnessed its ability to create and deploy next-generation commerce solutions for its merchant clients and financial institution partners, built on powerful new hardware and software platforms with embedded data and analytics.
Among the achievements of the last year, aligned with the vision for a “New First Data,” the company strengthened its capital structure, extended equity to all employees and attracted new talent through the addition of key executives.
To help clients grow their business, First Data launched new value-added commerce solutions, such as the Clover™ Station, Perka™ and InsighticsSM. Clover™ Station is First Data’s new cloud-based business control and payment platform that puts a powerful business application marketplace at the merchant’s fingertips. Perka™ is the company’s mobile marketing and consumer loyalty platform that helps small to medium-sized merchants engage their customers with location-based smartphone apps. InsighticsSM creates business intelligence analytics for merchants to drive additional revenue.
Additionally, First Data over the past 12 months has announced a series of strategic partnerships, made investments in and partnered with innovative start-ups, entered the Brazilian market, and continues to invest in expanding the capabilities of the STAR® Network, its leading debit network.
All of these achievements were built on top of First Data’s trophy asset, its proprietary critical infrastructure that links merchants and issuers, at scale, around the world.
Shares of the common equity have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and other applicable securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the common equity in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
KKR Capital Markets acted as sole private placement agent for First Data. The transaction is expected to close on or about July 11, 2014, subject to customary closing conditions.
About First Data: Around the world, every second of every day, First Data makes payment transactions secure, fast and easy for merchants, financial institutions and their customers. First Data leverages its vast product portfolio and expertise to drive client revenue and profitability. Whether the choice of payment is by debit or credit card, gift card, check or mobile phone, online or at the checkout counter, First Data takes every opportunity to go beyond the transaction. More information about the company is available on FirstData.com as well as on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Source: First Data
