FIS®, a global leader in financial services technology, today announced an acceleration of its previously announced separation plan to create two highly focused global companies with greater strategic flexibility. FIS has signed a definitive agreement to sell a majority stake in its Worldpay Merchant Solutions business to private equity funds managed by GTCR in a transaction valuing Worldpay at $18.5 billion, including $1 billion of consideration contingent on the returns realized by GTCR exceeding certain thresholds.
FIS will receive upfront, net proceeds of approximately $11.7 billion while retaining a non-controlling 45% ownership interest in a new standalone joint venture.
As part of the agreement, GTCR has committed an additional equity capital investment in Worldpay of up to $1.25 billion to pursue inorganic growth opportunities.
“This transaction allows FIS to partially monetize our Merchant Solutions business at an attractive valuation and provides certainty for all stakeholders,” said FIS CEO and President Stephanie Ferris. “It also allows us to simplify and drive greater focus on delivering innovative, next-generation financial technology and software solutions. At the same time, Worldpay will become a privately held company and benefit from the resources and expertise of GTCR, which has committed additional capital to allow Worldpay to pursue inorganic growth in the rapidly evolving payments space.”
Ferris continued, “I am grateful to our team for their hard work in preparing for a separation, which has positioned us to execute seamlessly on this transaction. I am also proud that FIS will maintain a meaningful minority stake in Worldpay and participate on the Worldpay Board, allowing us to continue our strong commercial partnership and benefit from continued upside in the business. We are excited to partner with GTCR given its successful history of value creation in collaboration with corporate partners.”
Worldpay, one of the largest global merchant acquirers by transactions with $2 trillion in payments volume in 2022, will remain a leader of commerce solutions to merchants of all sizes. As previously announced, Charles Drucker will become CEO of Worldpay upon close of the transaction.
FIS will remain a leading provider of financial technology solutions for financial institutions, capital markets firms, corporates and developers globally. The Company will continue to benefit from its strong brand, extensive domain expertise and portfolio breadth, strong long-term and marquee client relationships, and its global distribution and scale.
FIS and Worldpay will enter into commercial agreements, preserving a key value proposition for clients of both businesses and minimizing potential dis-synergies. These agreements will allow Worldpay continued access to FIS products to resell to its clients, as well as access to FIS’ financial institution clients as it continues to scale its bank channel. Similarly, FIS will retain access to Worldpay’s marquee portfolio of commercial clients to resell its embedded finance offerings.
Transaction Details
The transaction values Worldpay at $18.5 billion, inclusive of $1 billion in additional consideration that is contingent on the returns realized by GTCR exceeding certain thresholds. The upfront valuation of $17.5 billion equates to a 9.8-times multiple on expected fiscal 2023 adjusted EBITDA, including estimated dis-synergies and previously unallocated corporate and other costs. Including the $1 billion of contingent consideration, the multiple on the transaction would increase to approximately 10.4-times. FIS will receive upfront, net proceeds of approximately $11.7 billion at close. On a pro-forma basis for the transaction, FIS expects leverage to be approximately 2.5-times, based on 2023 Adjusted EBITDA upon close.
The transaction is expected to close by Q1 2024, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Following the closing of this transaction, FIS’ ownership interest in Worldpay will be reported as income from minority interest.
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Founded in 1980, GTCR is a leading private equity firm that pioneered The Leaders Strategy™ – finding and partnering with management leaders in core domains to identify, acquire and build market-leading companies through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Since its inception, GTCR has invested more than $24 billion in over 270 companies, and the firm currently manages more than $35 billion in equity capital. GTCR is based in Chicago with offices in New York and West Palm Beach.
Banking 4.0 – „how was the experience for you”
„So many people are coming here to Bucharest, people that I see and interact on linkedin and now I get the change to meet them in person. It was like being to the Football World Cup but this was the World Cup on linkedin in payments and open banking.”
Many more interesting quotes in the video below:
