(By Balachander) Interline Brands Inc. (NYSE:IBI), a distributor of industrial products, agreed to be taken private in a deal valued at $25.50 per share in cash, and its shares spiked 41.9 percent in premarket trading on Tuesday.
The deal represents a premium of about 42 percent to IBI's previous closing price of $17.94.
Excluding debt, the transaction is valued at around $812 million.
Jacksonville, Florida-based Interline Brands, which distributes maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) products, will be acquired by affiliates of GS Capital Partners LP, direct private investment unit of Goldman Sachs (GS), and New York-based investment firm P2 Capital Partners LLC.
Under the agreement, Interline can solicit alternative acquisition proposals from third parties through June 28, 2012. If there is not a superior offer, the transaction is expected to close by the end of the third quarter.
Interline stock roughly 100,000 MRO products in the following categories: janitorial and sanitation (JanSan); plumbing; hardware, tools and fixtures; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); electrical and lighting; appliances and parts; security and safety, among others.
Earlier this month, the company posted first-quarter earnings of 23 cents a share on sales of roughly $314 million. Gross margin shrank 40 basis points to 36.9 percent from 37.3 percent.
Barclays is serving as financial advisor to Interline and Goldman Sachs is acting as financial advisor to GS Capital Partners.