Pavlo Gonchar | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Company: Aspen Technology (AZPN)
Business: Aspen Technology provides industrial software that focuses on helping customers in asset-intensive industries worldwide. Its software is used in performance engineering, modeling and design, supply chain management, predictive and prescriptive maintenance, digital grid management and industrial data management. The company serves a range of asset-intensive industries, including oil and gas exploration and production; oil and gas processing and distribution; as well as oil and gas refining and marketing.
Stock Market Value: $16.8B ($265.25 per share)
Aspen Technology shares in the past year
Activist: Elliott Investment Management
Ownership: ~9.0%
Average Cost: n/a
Activist Commentary: Elliott is a very successful and astute activist investor. The firm’s team includes analysts from leading tech private equity firms, engineers, operating partners – former technology CEOs and COOs. When evaluating an investment, the firm also hires specialty and general management consultants, expert cost analysts and industry specialists. Elliott often watches companies for many years before investing and have an extensive stable of impressive board candidates. The firm has historically focused on strategic activism in the technology sector and has been very successful with that strategy. However, over the past several years its activism group has grown, and Elliott has been doing a lot more governance-oriented activism and creating value from a board level at a much larger breadth of companies.
What’s happening
On Feb. 7, Elliott announced that it’s taken a $1.5 billion position in Aspen Technology. The firm expressed its disagreement with Aspen’s decision to support a $265 per share tender offer by Emerson Electric, noting that it substantially undervalues the company.
Behind the scenes
Aspen Technology (AZPN) is a global provider of process optimization software solutions designed to manage and optimize plant and process design, operational performance, and supply chain planning. On Nov. 5, 2024, Emerson Electric (EMR), which currently owns approximately 57.4% of Aspen’s outstanding shares, issued a tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Aspen not already owned by Emerson at $265 per share. To evaluate this offer, Aspen’s board formed a special committee of three independent and disinterested directors. Ultimately, on Jan. 27, 2025, it was announced that the committee voted unanimously to recommend the transaction for approval. On Feb. 7, Elliott announced that it opposes the tender offer as the firm does not believe it fairly values the company.
Emerson acquired a 55% position in Aspen in 2022 and until May 2024 had a standstill agreement preventing it from acquiring additional stock (it got to 57% through share repurchases by the company). As an insider for 2.5 years, Emerson knows Aspen well and could have made this offer at any time since May. As a controlling shareholder, Emerson has an informational advantage over the public and pursuing a buyout now suggests that it’s strategically timing its move. Notably, it comes after a good quarter where the integration of Emerson’s contributed assets from its 2022 majority investment is starting to take hold, an improvement of margins seems to be on the horizon, particularly with the recent suspension of Aspen’s Russia business, and the seating of the Trump administration (Emerson actually announced its bid on Election Day) bringing with it a more lenient regulatory environment for oil- and chemical-related products.
When Emerson publicly announced its tender offer, Aspen stock was trading at approximately $240 per share, making this a 10% takeover premium that does not come close to accounting for the significant synergies Emerson could get from this transaction. While there are operational and sales synergies of at least $100 per share, what is most valuable to Emerson is access to Aspen’s software and code, which Emerson can only get by acquiring the entire company. There is a clear precedent for this. In January 2023, Schneider Electric closed out its acquisition of Aveva, buying out the remaining 40% of the company – which happens to be Aspen’s smaller peer player. It offered a 41% premium to Aveva’s undisturbed share price before Schneider’s interest was disclosed in August 2022. This is more of a standard premium for these types of transactions and is consistent with the $100 per share of synergies Emerson would get here. This suggests a substantially higher fair price than $265 per share. When looking at all the synergies and integration advantages Emerson has in this transaction, a more reasonable takeout price looks to be north of $350 per share.
As a majority shareholder, Emerson has a lot of control in this situation. Absent an activist investor, this deal likely gets done at $265. Not only does the price seem glaringly low, but the process suggests a sweetheart deal. For example, Aspen’s “independent special committee” that approved this deal was comprised of three directors, two of whom were Emerson’s designated directors on the board. So, Emerson effectively controlled the special committee that was tasked with reviewing the tender offer. Fortunately, in Delaware, where the company is incorporated, a tender offer requires at least 50% of disinterested outstanding shareholders to approve the transaction. This means 21.4% of the remaining shareholders (other than Emerson) need to vote for the deal for it to pass. Elliott has 9%, and if every other shareholder votes (an improbable likelihood), Elliott would just need another 12.4% to block the transaction. If 5% of shareholders do not vote, Elliott would only need an additional 7.4% of votes. Kayne Anderson is the next largest shareholder with 6.5%, so its vote will be important. It should be noted that it is not clear if Elliott’s position is in common stock or swaps (a common practice for the firm) as its actions here would not require the firm to file a 13D. However, in this situation it is not that relevant. If the company were required to get the vote of 50% of disinterested shareholders, Elliott would need to have its position in common stock to vote. However, since in this case the requirement is a tender of 50% of disinterested shares, even if Elliott owns swaps (and assuming the counterparty does not take equity risk), the shares underlying the swaps will not be tendered.
One final note – this is not just a “bumpitrage” situation for Elliott. While the firm would sell to Emerson at a fair price, it owns the stock because it likes Aspen and thinks it is a good investment as a standalone company owned 57% by Emerson. If Emerson does not increase its bid, that does not mean Elliott will tender at the $265 price or any other price it finds insufficient. The firm would likely be happy to own the stock and benefit from the same operational and macro tailwinds that Emerson sees. Moreover, the company just had a strong earnings call, but the stock did not rise past the $265 on the news as the offer price is establishing somewhat of an artificial ceiling. So, this is a situation where if Emerson ups its offer, the stock will go up. If the offer goes away, the artificial ceiling does too, and the stock price could also go up in that situation.
Ken Squire is the founder and president of 13D Monitor, an institutional research service on shareholder activism, and the founder and portfolio manager of the 13D Activist Fund, a mutual fund that invests in a portfolio of activist 13D investments.
ADVERTISEMENT:
Halo, para pengemar slot! pernahkah denger semboyan “slot gacor”? Kalau tidak, bersiaplah jatuh cinta sama konsep ini. slot gacor adalah mesin slots yang sering memberi win. Yup, mesin-mesin ini bisa disebut sebagai andalannya tuk membawa pulang cuan. any way, gimana sih caranya jumpain slot demo yang tepat? Santuy Bro, kita bahas santai saja di tempat ini
Gaming terbaik saat sekarang hanya satu berada Indonesia yaitu yang menyediakan ROI tertinggi
SEGERA hanya di :
Informasi mengenai KING SLOT, Segera Daftar Bersama king selot terbaik dan terpercaya no satu di Indonesia. Boleh mendaftar melalui sini king slot serta memberikan hasil kembali yang paling tinggi saat sekarang ini hanyalah KING SLOT atau Raja slot paling gacor, gilak dan gaco saat sekarang di Indonesia melalui program return tinggi di kingselot serta pg king slot
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama kdwapp.com
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama jebswagstore.com
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama demoslotgacor.pro
slot demo gacor
slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot gacor
akun demo slot gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo gacor
akun slot demo gacor permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot pragmatic
akun demo slot pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo pragmatic
akun slot demo pragmatic permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun slot demo
akun slot demo permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
akun demo slot
akun demo slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
situs slot terbaru
situs slot terbaru permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
slot terbaru
slot terbaru permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama situsslotterbaru.net
luna88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama luna88.biz
magnum88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama magnum88.live
mainslot888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mainslot888.biz
margo88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama margo88.biz
maung888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama maung888.info
menang88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama menang88.asia
mitra777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mitra777.biz
mitra777slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama mitra777slot.biz
msislot88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama msislot88.com
nonstop888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama nonstop888.biz
nonstop888slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama nonstop888slot.com
oxwin777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama oxwin777.net
oxwin88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama oxwin88.com
pahala88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pahala88.biz
pan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pan88.info
paris777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama paris777.asia
paris777slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama paris777slot.biz
perdana88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama perdana88.biz
pesiar88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pesiar88.org
pesiarbet88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pesiarbet88.biz
pesiarbet88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pesiarbet88slot.net
planet777slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama planet777slot.biz
populer88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama populer88.info
psg777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama psg777.biz
puas88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama puas88.com
pulaujudi88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama pulaujudi88.info
queen88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama queen88.biz
quiz88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama quiz88.biz
quiz88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama quiz88slot.com
ras77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama ras77.biz
ras77slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama ras77slot.info
rolex888slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama rolex888slot.org
rusiaslot888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama rusiaslot888.com
rute88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama rute88.info
sabet88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sabet88slot.com
sakti88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sakti88.info
sakti888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sakti888.biz
sakti888slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sakti888slot.info
satria88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama satria88.asia
sawit77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sawit77.net
sayap88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sayap88.biz
sensasi77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sensasi77.biz
sensasi77slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sensasi77slot.info
siap4d permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama siap4d.net
sinar88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sinar88slot.info
sugih88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama sugih88.org
surga8888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama surga8888.com
surga888slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama surga888slot.biz
surya88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama surya88.biz
surya888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama surya888.biz
v888toto permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama v888toto.com
vegas888slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama vegas888slot.asia
venom88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama venom88slot.org
wis777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama wis777.biz
wis777slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama wis777slot.biz
xuxu88.org permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama xuxu88.org
zara88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama zara88.info
zara88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama zara88slot.net
foya888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama foya888.com
dangdut88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dangdut88.org
polaris888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama polaris888.info
cuan88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama cuan88slot.net
cuan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama cuan88.asia
calon88slot permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama calon88slot.com
calon88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama calon88.biz
axiata88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama axiata88.org
artis77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama artis77.info
artis77 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama artis77.biz
gwin88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gwin88.org
santai88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama santai88.org
dewanaga777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dewanaga777.biz
dewi18 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dewi18.com
dewigg88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dewigg88.com
dewijoker88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dewijoker88.asia
dombatoto88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dombatoto88.net
dunia30 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dunia30.com
dunia88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama dunia88.biz
erajp88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama erajp88.com
fyrewin88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama fyrewin88.com
gaca88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gaca88.com
gacha88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gacha88.biz
gacorbet999 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gacorbet999.net
gajah88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gajah88.biz
gemoyslot88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gemoyslot88.net
gencar88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gencar88.net
gocap88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gocap88.biz
gol888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gol888.org
grandbet888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama grandbet888.biz
gudangslot777 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gudangslot777.net
gwd88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama gwd88.net
harapjp88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama harapjp88.com
himalaya88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama himalaya88.biz
hondatoto88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama hondatoto88.biz
ikan88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama ikan88.biz
imperial888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama imperial888.biz
indahjp88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indahjp88.com
indobola33 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indobola33.com
indomax888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indomax888.biz
indosloter88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama indosloter88.org
interwin888 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama interwin888.biz
istana88 permainan paling top dan garansi imbal balik hasil besar bersama istana88.biz
