Renesas Electronics has terminated its proposed $249 million buy of France-based mobile IoT module maker Sequans Communications. It mentioned the choice was right down to an “opposed Japanese tax ruling”, apparently concerning the payment it could be required to pay on “taxable acquire” after integration of the Sequans enterprise following its buy. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the pair, and the tender supply, have been cancelled as a consequence, it mentioned.
An announcement mentioned: “Below the phrases of the MOU, both Renesas or Sequans can terminate the MOU if, amongst different causes, Renesas receives a affirmation from the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau that consummation of the reorganisation supplied within the MOU would require Renesas to acknowledge taxable acquire and pay such tax… On February 15, 2024, Renesas obtained an Opposed Japanese Tax Ruling. In consequence, Renesas exercised its proper to terminate the MOU… [and] tender supply.”
The deal, agreed final August, had been anticipated to shut this quarter, topic to approval by the French agency’s works council, and by native tax and regulatory authorities. The $249 million valuation has lined all inventory held by all its shareholders, together with US-based fairness shares; it included web debt. The supply valued Sequans 42.3 p.c increased than its closing worth on the time of the deal, and 32.6 per cent and seven.7 p.c increased than its weighted common worth over the earlier six months and 12 months, respectively.
A counter assertion from Sequans implied it was business-as-usual for Sequans, and that it had different choices obtainable to it. It mentioned: “All through the tender supply course of, the corporate has continued to develop its enterprise and is assured in its skill to handle the state of affairs and proceed its enterprise as an impartial firm. On account of robust buyer relationships and the distinctive capabilities of its expertise, Sequans is optimistic about its skill to develop its market share and increase its future income streams.”
It added: “As well as, the Board is happy to have a number of strategic choices to contemplate and is working with administration to pursue every of those alternatives.”
Georges Karam, chief government at Sequans, commented: “Our income pipeline continued to develop through the tender course of. Many ‘huge IoT’ design wins are delivery and product revenues are ramping in comparison with 2023. We proceed to get pleasure from a powerful place in key sectors akin to metering, fleet administration and asset monitoring. Moreover, our 5G product is at the moment within the sampling part, permitting us to capitalise on the distinct strategic worth of this mental property. That is opening up new strategic alternatives just like these efficiently pursued prior to now.
“We are going to replace our enterprise outlook and supply an summary of the strategic alternatives we’re actively pursuing throughout our forthcoming fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 earnings name. We’re assured concerning the development views in our enterprise and about our skill to deal with monetary challenges with the intention to put the corporate in a wholesome place.”
Sequans, based in 2003, specialises in cellular-based low-power wide-area community (LPWAN) options, notably operating NB-IoT and LTE-M, in addition to higher-powered LTE-4G and 5G primarily based IoT {hardware}.
Renesas has been on a shopping for spree, which has additionally seen it snap up UK-based energy administration and industrial IoT specialist Dialog (August 2021), Israeli enterprise Wi-Fi chipset and software program supplier Celeno (December 2021), and Austrian near-field comms (NFC) chip maker Panthronics (June 2023).