DUBLIN, IRELAND and LITTLE FALLS, N.J, Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STERIS plc (NYSE: STE) (“STERIS” or the “Company”) and Cantel Medical Corp (NYSE:CMD) (“Cantel”) today announced that STERIS has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cantel, through a U.S. subsidiary. Cantel is a global provider of infection prevention products and services primarily to endoscopy and dental Customers. Under the terms of the agreement, STERIS will acquire Cantel in a cash and stock transaction valued at $84.66 per Cantel common share, based on STERIS’s closing share price of $200.46 on January 11, 2021. This represents a total equity value of approximately $3.6 billion and a total enterprise value of approximately $4.6 billion, including Cantel’s net debt and convertible notes. The agreement has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

“We have long appreciated Cantel, which is a natural complement and extension to STERIS’s product and service offerings, global reach and Customers,” said Walt Rosebrough, President and Chief Executive Officer of STERIS. “Our companies share a similar focus on infection prevention across a range of healthcare Customers. Combined, we will offer a broader set of Customers a more diversified selection of infection prevention and procedural products and services. We welcome the people of Cantel to the STERIS team and firmly believe we will create greater value for our Customers and shareholders together.”

Charles M. Diker, Chairman of the Cantel Board of Directors, has separately entered into a voting support agreement along with certain other entities collectively holding approximately 10% of Cantel’s outstanding shares. Mr. Diker said, “We are pleased to reach this agreement with STERIS, which is the culmination of a robust process to achieve an outcome that allows Cantel shareholders to participate in the significant upside of the combined company, while also providing them with immediate cash value. Together with STERIS, we believe the value opportunity is compelling, both today and in a post-COVID world, as the combined company will have the scale, breadth and depth to unlock substantial value that will drive further benefits for Cantel shareholders, Customers and all stakeholders.”

“We believe Cantel and STERIS are a perfect strategic fit, and this combination is a natural next step for our company, enabling us to accelerate progress on our Cantel 2.0 initiatives and drive enhanced value for shareholders and the healthcare providers and systems we support,” said George Fotiades, CEO of Cantel. “The last year has demonstrated more than ever the importance of innovative and comprehensive infection prevention and control solutions that protect healthcare providers and patients. Together with STERIS, we will be able to provide a more extensive and innovative suite of offerings to our Customers around the world. Importantly, STERIS recognizes that our proven and talented team is the foundation of Cantel’s success and we look forward to working collaboratively to bring our two organizations together.”

This transaction brings together STERIS’s and Cantel’s franchises to create a stronger global business serving a broader set of Customers. Cantel’s largest business, its Medical portfolio, will strengthen and expand STERIS’s Endoscopy offerings, adding a full suite of high-level disinfection consumables, capital equipment and services, as well as additional single-use accessories. Cantel’s Dental business extends STERIS into a new Customer segment where there is an increasing focus on infection prevention protocols and processes. Annual revenue for Cantel in its recent fiscal year ended July 31, 2020, was approximately $1 billion, with adjusted EBIT of approximately $134 million.

Financial Highlights and Transaction Details
The companies expect to realize annualized pre-tax cost synergies of approximately $110 million by the fourth fiscal year following the close, with approximately 50% achieved in the first two years. Cost synergies are expected to be primarily driven by cost reductions in redundant public company and back-office overhead, commercial integration, product manufacturing, and service operations.

Under the terms of the agreement, Cantel common stockholders will receive approximately $16.93 in cash and 0.33787 of a STERIS ordinary share, or a total of value of approximately $84.66 per Cantel common share based on STERIS's closing share price of $200.46 on January 11, 2021. The transaction is anticipated to close by the end of STERIS’s first quarter of fiscal 2022 (ending June 30, 2021), pending customary closing conditions including receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by Cantel stockholders.

STERIS expects to fund the cash portion of the transaction consideration and repay a significant amount of Cantel’s existing debt with approximately $2.0 billion of new debt and has obtained fully committed bridge financing.

Conference Call
Management from both companies will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. ET today. The conference call can be heard live online at steris-ir.com or via phone by dialing 1-833-535-2199 in the United States or 1-412-902-6776 internationally, then asking to join the conference call for STERIS plc.

For those unable to listen to the conference call live, a replay will be available by 12:00 p.m. ET today, either online at steris-ir.com or via phone. To access the replay of the call, please use the access code 10151379 and dial 1-877-344-7529 in the United States or 1-412-317-0088 internationally.

Advisors
Guggenheim Securities is serving as financial advisor to STERIS and Jones Day is serving as legal counsel. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., served as sole lead arranger and bookrunner in respect of the bridge financing. Centerview Partners LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Cantel and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal counsel.


About STERIS
STERIS’s MISSION IS TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS CREATE A HEALTHIER AND SAFER WORLD by providing innovative healthcare and life science product and service solutions around the globe.


About Cantel:
Cantel is a leading global company dedicated to delivering innovative infection prevention products and services for patients, caregivers, and other healthcare providers which improve outcomes, enhance safety and help save lives. Cantel’s products include specialized medical device reprocessing systems for endoscopy and renal dialysis, advanced water purification equipment, sterilants, disinfectants and cleaners, sterility assurance monitoring products for hospitals and dental clinics, disposable infection control products primarily for dental and GI endoscopy markets, instruments and instrument reprocessing workflow systems serving the dental industry, dialysate concentrates, hollow fiber membrane filtration and separation products. Additionally, Cantel provides technical service for its products.