CALIFORNIA, USA — Lockheed Martin is buying rocket engine manufacturer Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings for $4.4 billion in a deal that brings together companies that already had been working together in the aeronautics industry.
The acquisition announced late Sunday is part of Lockheed Martin's attempt to gird for competition from recent industry entrants, Space X and Blue Origin, which are backed by two of the world's richest men, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
“We are pleased to bring together our complementary companies in a transformative transaction that will provide premium cash value for our shareholders and tremendous benefits for our employees, customers and partners,” said Eileen P. Drake, CEO and President of Aerojet Rocketdyne.
“Joining Lockheed Martin is a testament to the world-class organization and team we’ve built and represents a natural next phase of our evolution," Drake added. "As part of Lockheed Martin, we will bring our advanced technologies together with their substantial expertise and resources to accelerate our shared purpose: enabling the defense of our nation and space exploration. On behalf of the Aerojet Rocketdyne Board and management team, I’d like to thank all of our employees for their unwavering dedication and focus in helping us achieve this great milestone.
Lockheed is paying $56 per share. That's 33% above the Friday closing price of Aerojet Rocketdyne's stock. The final price will be reduced to $51 per share after accounting for a special dividend.
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