Grab (NASDAQ:GRAB) made its debut on the Nasdaq on Dec. 2 after merging with Altimeter Growth Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) managed by hedge fund Altimeter Capital. However, the ride-hailing and delivery company has experienced a rocky start, as shares of GRAB stock have declined more than 25% since. Shares are rocketing even lower today after Grab announced a major acquisition. The transaction is the largest acquisition for Grab since it acquired Ovo, an Indonesian wallet provider, earlier this year.
So, what is the big acquisition news?
Today, Grab announced that it would be buying Jaya Grocer, one of the top premium supermarket chains based in Malaysia. Financial terms of the acquisition were not immediately disclosed, although a source close to the matter said the acquisition price would be between RM 1.5 billion and RM 1.8 billion. As part of the agreement, Grab will buy 100% of all Jaya Grocer ordinary shares and 75% of its preference shares. Additionally, Grab will have the option to buy the remaining preference shares after the transaction closes. Preference shareholders have priority over common stock holders when it comes to dividends, although they do not generally have voting rights.
Furthermore, due to regulatory reasons, Grab plans to partner with a local investor, who will own 50% of the voting shares in Jaya Grocer. However, the local investor has not been disclosed yet. Grab announced that the acquisition will likely close during the first quarter of 2022.
The grocery chain reported RM 1.34 billion in sales for the financial year ended June 2020. Gross profit tallied in at RM 68.65 million.
Jaya Grocer has been on sale for over a year, previously rejecting offers from The Carlyle Group and CVC Capital Partners. The grocer is reportedly seeking at least RM 1.1 billion.
Furthermore, less than a month ago, the Teng family, who founded Jaya Grocer, announced that they were buying back a 45% stake in Jaya Grocer from private equity firm AIGF Advisors for RM 411 million. AIGF Advisors first purchased its stake of Jaya Grocer in 2016 for RM 300 million. The Teng family stands to make a profit after Grab’s recent acquisition.
Shares of Grab are trading down more than 10% on the day. As a general reminder, when an acquisition occurs, the acquirer’s stock price usually goes down. However, the company getting acquired usually sees an increase in price. This is because the acquirer is using assets to satisfy the transaction, which negatively impacts the balance sheet in the short term.