Acquisition Scales Herc’s Premier Platform and
Accelerates Strategy for Industry Leading Growth and Superior Value
Creation
Transaction Terms Same as Proposal Previously
Announced on February 18, 2025
H&E Terminates Agreement with United
Rentals
Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HRI) (“Herc” or “the Company”), one of
North America’s leading equipment rental suppliers, and H&E
Equipment Services, Inc. d/b/a H&E Rentals (NASDAQ: HEES)
(“H&E”) today announced that H&E has terminated its prior
merger agreement with United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI) and that
Herc and H&E have entered into a definitive merger agreement
under which Herc will acquire H&E.
As previously announced on February 18, 2025, under the terms of
the Herc and H&E agreement, H&E shareholders will receive
$78.75 in cash and 0.1287 shares of Herc common stock for each
share they own, with a total value of $104.89 per share based on
Herc’s 10-day VWAP as of market close February 14, 2025. Following
the close of the transaction, H&E’s shareholders will own
approximately 14.1% of the combined company.
“The acquisition of H&E is a unique opportunity to
accelerate Herc’s proven strategy for industry leading growth and
delivering superior shareholder value,” said Larry Silber, Herc’s
president and chief executive officer. “We have great respect for
the H&E team and the high-quality platform they built. We look
forward to welcoming H&E’s talented employees to Herc and
working together to realize the substantial benefits that this
transaction will create for the shareholders, employees and
customers of both companies.”
John M. Engquist, executive chairman of H&E, added, “This is
an outstanding transaction for H&E shareholders, providing both
immediate, premium value and the opportunity to participate in the
substantial upside value that will be created through this
combination. With Herc, we have found a partner who shares our
dedication to a higher standard of work.”
Strategic and Financial
Benefits
- Increased scale with complementary footprint and fleet
mix: The transaction strengthens Herc’s position as the 3rd
largest rental company in North America. The combined company will
have a leading presence in 11 of the top 20 rental regions and
increased urban density in 7 of the top 10 rental regions. In
addition, it will have a larger, younger fleet, offering a variety
of specialty equipment solutions and a broad range of general
rental products.
- Approximately $300 million of annual EBITDA synergies
are expected to be achieved by the end of year three following the
close of the transaction, including approximately $125 million of
cost synergies and approximately $175 million EBITDA impact from
revenue synergies.
- Highly accretive: The transaction is expected to be high
single digit accretive to Herc’s cash earnings per share in 2026
and ramping to greater than 20% as synergies are fully realized. In
addition, the transaction is expected to generate ROIC in excess of
Herc’s cost of capital within three years of closing.
- Attractive financial profile: The combination creates a
company with revenue and EBITDA of approximately $5.2 billion and
$2.5 billion, respectively, with an expectation for continued
revenue growth in excess of the market and improved adjusted EBITDA
margins.
- Financial strength and flexibility with net leverage of
3.8x at close, prior to synergy realization, and projected to be
below 3.0x and in Herc’s targeted range within 24 months of
closing. Herc’s dividend will be maintained.
- Valuation multiple re-rating warranted for combined
company that is more consistent with comparable company
valuation multiples in the sector given the powerful growth
platform, increased liquidity, and greater investor interest that
comes with a scaled company.
Transaction Details
Herc intends to commence a tender offer to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of H&E common stock for $78.75 per share in
cash and 0.1287 shares of Herc common stock. Following completion
of the tender offer, Herc will acquire all remaining shares not
tendered in the offer through a second-step merger at the same
price as in the tender offer.
The transaction is expected to close mid-year 2025, subject to
the majority of H&E’s shares being tendered into the offer, the
receipt of customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions.
Herc has obtained committed financing for the cash portion of the
transaction.
In accordance with the terms of H&E’s prior agreement with
United Rentals, Herc, on behalf of H&E, has paid a termination
fee of $63,523,892 to United Rentals.
Presentation Materials and Conference Call / Webcast
Replay
The press release and presentation slides that Herc previously
issued on February 18, 2025 in connection with the H&E
agreement as well as a replay of the associated conference call and
webcast can be found on the Investor Relations section of Herc’s
website at https://IR.HercRentals.com.
Herc Advisors
Guggenheim Securities, LLC is serving as lead financial advisor.
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc is serving as co-financial
advisor, with Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank serving
as lead financing bank. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is
serving as legal advisor. Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher is
serving as strategic communications advisor.
H&E Advisors
BofA Securities acted as financial advisor to H&E and
Milbank LLP acted as H&E's legal advisor.
About Herc Holdings Inc.
Founded in 1965, Herc Holdings Inc., which operates through its
Herc Rentals Inc. subsidiary, is a full-line rental supplier with
453 locations across North America, and 2024 total revenues of
approximately $3.6 billion. We offer products and services aimed at
helping customers work more efficiently, effectively, and safely.
Our classic fleet includes aerial, earthmoving, material handling,
trucks and trailers, air compressors, compaction, and lighting
equipment. Our ProSolutions® offering includes industry-specific,
solutions-based services in tandem with power generation, climate
control, remediation and restoration, pumps, and trench shorting
equipment as well as our ProContractor professional grade tools. We
employ approximately 7,600 employees, who equip our customers and
communities to build a brighter future. Learn more at
www.HercRentals.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and
LinkedIn.
About H&E Equipment Services, Inc.
Founded in 1961, H&E is one of the largest rental equipment
companies in the nation. The Company’s fleet is comprised of aerial
work platforms, earthmoving, material handling, and other general
and specialty lines. H&E serves a diverse set of end markets in
many high-growth geographies and has branches throughout the
Pacific Northwest, West Coast, Intermountain, Southwest, Gulf
Coast, Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This communication includes “forward-looking statements,” within
the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act, as
amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements include statements related to the
Company, H&E and the proposed acquisition of H&E by the
Company that involve substantial risks, uncertainties and
assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those expressed or implied by such statements. Forward-looking
statements in this communication include, among other things,
statements about the potential benefits of the proposed
transaction, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and
intentions, the financial condition, results of operations and
business of each of the Company and H&E, expected valuation and
re-rating opportunities for the combined company, and the
anticipated timing of closing of the proposed transaction.
Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words
"estimates," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "plans,"
"intends," "believes," "forecasts," "looks," and future or
conditional verbs, such as "will," "should," "could" or "may," as
well as variations of such words or similar expressions. All
forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations
and various assumptions and apply only as of the date of this
communication. Our expectations, beliefs and projections are
expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis
for them. However, there can be no assurance that our expectations,
beliefs and projections will be achieved or that the completion and
anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction can be guaranteed,
and actual results may differ materially from those projected. You
should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
There are a number of risks, uncertainties and other important
factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially
from those suggested by our forward-looking statements, including,
but not limited to, (i) the possibility that the sufficient number
of H&E’s shares are not validly tendered into the tender offer
to meet the minimum condition; (ii) the Company’s ability to
implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect
to H&E’s business after the completion of the proposed
transaction and realized expected synergies; (iii) the ability to
realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction,
including the possibility that the expected benefits from the
proposed transaction will not be realized or will not be realized
within the expected time period; (iv) the Company and H&E may
be unable to obtain regulatory approvals required for the proposed
transaction or may be required to accept conditions that could
reduce the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction as a
condition to obtaining regulatory approvals; (v) the length of time
necessary to consummate the proposed transaction may be longer than
anticipated; (vi) problems may arise in successfully integrating
the businesses of the Company and H&E, including, without
limitation, problems associated with the potential loss of any key
employees, customers, suppliers and other counterparties of
H&E; (vii) the proposed transaction may involve unexpected
costs, including, without limitation, the exposure to any
unrecorded liabilities or unidentified issues during the due
diligence investigation of H&E or that are not covered by
insurance, as well as potential unfavorable accounting treatment
and unexpected increases in taxes; (viii) the Company’s business
may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the proposed
transaction, any adverse effects on our ability to maintain
relationships with customers, employees and suppliers; (ix) the
occurrence of any event, change to other circumstances that could
give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, the failure
of the closing conditions included in the merger agreement to be
satisfied, or any other failure to consummate the proposed
transaction; (x) any negative effects of the announcement of the
proposed transaction of the financing thereof on the market price
of the Company common stock or other securities; (xi) the industry
may be subject to future risks including those set forth in the
“Risk Factors” section in the Annual Reports on Form 10-K,
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in the other filings with the
SEC by each of the Company and H&E; and (xii) Herc may not
achieve its valuation or re-rating opportunities. The foregoing
list of factors is not exhaustive. Investors should carefully
consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and
uncertainties that affect the businesses of the Company and
H&E, including those described in the Annual Reports on Form
10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and in the other filings with
the SEC by each of the Company and H&E. All forward-looking
statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by such
cautionary statements. We undertake no obligation to update or
revise forward-looking statements that have been made to reflect
events or circumstances that arise after the date made or to
reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
The tender offer described herein has not yet commenced, and
this communication is neither an offer to purchase nor a
solicitation of an offer to sell shares, nor is it a substitute for
any offer materials that the Company and its acquisition
subsidiary, HR Merger Sub Inc. (“Merger
Sub”), will file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “SEC”). At the time
the tender offer is commenced, the Company and Merger Sub will file
a tender offer statement on Schedule TO and the Company will file a
registration statement on Form S-4. THE TENDER OFFER MATERIALS
(INCLUDING AN OFFER TO EXCHANGE, A RELATED LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
AND CERTAIN OTHER TENDER OFFER MATERIALS) AND THE FORM S-4 WILL
CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. H&E STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO
READ THESE DOCUMENTS CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION
THAT HOLDERS OF H&E SECURITIES SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE MAKING
ANY DECISION REGARDING EXCHANGING THEIR SECURITIES. The tender
offer materials will be made available to holders of H&E stock
at no expense to them. The tender offer materials will be made
available for free at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov).
Additional copies may be obtained for free by contacting either the
Company or H&E. Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by
H&E will be available free of charge on H&E’s website at
https://investor.he-equipment.com/. Copies of the documents filed
with the SEC by the Company will also be available free of charge
on the Company’s website at https://ir.hercrentals.com/.
In addition to the tender offer materials, the Company and
H&E file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy
statements and other information with the SEC, which are available
to the public at the SEC’s web site (http://www.sec.gov).
Information Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures
In addition to results calculated according to accounting
principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), the
Company has provided certain information in this communication that
is not calculated according to GAAP (“non-GAAP”), such as adjusted
EBITDA. Management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate
operating performance and period-over-period performance of our
core business without regard to potential distortions, and believes
that investors will likewise find these non-GAAP measures useful in
evaluating the Company’s performance. These measures are frequently
used by security analysts, institutional investors and other
interested parties in the evaluation of companies in our industry.
Non-GAAP measures should not be considered in isolation or as a
substitute for our reported results prepared in accordance with
GAAP and, as calculated, may not be comparable to similarly titled
measures of other companies. For the definitions of these terms,
further information about management’s use of these measures as
well as a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most
comparable GAAP financial measures, please see the supplemental
schedules that accompany this communication.
View source
version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250218587289/en/
For Herc Rentals:
Leslie Hunziker Senior Vice President Investor Relations,
Communications & Sustainability leslie.hunziker@hercrentals.com
239-301-1675
Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher HRI-media@joelefrank.com
Sam Kahane / 631-413-2426 Tarik Garvey / 609-738-5809
For H&E Equipment Services:
Leslie S. Magee Chief Financial Officer 225-298-5261
lmagee@he-equipment.com
Jeffrey L. Chastain Vice President of Investor Relations
225-952-2308 jchastain@he-equipment.com
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