Zebra Technologies to acquire enterprise business from Motorola Solutions for $3.45 billion

Zebra Technologies Corporation and Motorola Solutions today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement in which Zebra will acquire Motorola’s Enterprise business for $3.45 billion in an all-cash transaction.

“This acquisition will transform Zebra into a leading provider of solutions that deliver greater intelligence and insights into our customers’ enterprises and extended value chains,” said Anders Gustafsson, Zebra’s chief executive officer. “The Enterprise business will generate significant value for our shareholders by driving further product innovation and deeper engagement with our customers and partners. It positions Zebra as a leading technology innovator, with the accelerating convergence of mobility, data analytics and cloud computing.”

“Our Enterprise business is an ideal fit for Zebra,” stated Greg Brown, Motorola Solutions chairman and CEO. “This transaction will enable us to further sharpen our strategic focus on providing mission-critical solutions for our government and public safety customers. Upon closing of the transaction, we intend to return the proceeds to our shareholders in a timely fashion.”

With 2013 pro-forma sales of approximately $2.5 billion (excluding sales of its iDEN products), Motorola’s Enterprise business is an industry leader in mobile computing and advanced data capture communications technologies and services. Through this transaction, Zebra will enter the segment where Motorola’s Enterprise business competes and strengthen its position in key industries including retail, transportation and logistics, and manufacturing and serve approximately 95% of the Fortune 500.

Zebra Technologies, with 2013 sales of $1 billion, is an industry leader in barcode and enterprise printing, asset tracking, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and motion and location sensing.

The combined Zebra Technologies with Motorola’s Enterprise business would have had pro-forma sales in 2013 of approximately $3.5 billion. Approximately 4,500 employees are expected to join Zebra upon completing this transaction. Motorola Solutions will retain its iDEN product portfolio that was part of its Enterprise business and will continue its government business, including its professional commercial radio product portfolio.

Motorola Solutions will continue to manufacture, design, integrate and deliver voice and data communication solutions for government and public safety customers worldwide. It also holds a unique portfolio of intellectual property.

The acquisition will be funded through a combination of cash on hand and new debt. The transaction, which was approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, is subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.

Strategic fit for Zebra
The transaction will significantly expand Zebra’s geographic reach; the combined company will have about 20,000 channel partners in more than 100 countries, and will hold a robust portfolio of intellectual property, with approximately 4,500 U.S. and international patents issued and pending. Key benefits to Zebra and its shareholders include:

● Stronger combined platform with multiple growth opportunities
● New and comprehensive product, technology and IP portfolio
● Leading end-to-end solutions across key industries with global reach
● Highly diversified business mix
● Creating synergies by maximizing efficiencies and scale
● Attractive growth and free cash flow profile

Strategic rationale for Motorola Solutions
“Last year, we undertook a thorough review of our strategy and concluded that the synergies between our government and enterprise businesses were not as great as the value we could create by being singularly focused on our core government and public safety business,” Motorola’s Brown said. “Going forward, we will have absolute clarity of purpose and mission as we serve customers globally with our suite of mission-critical communications solutions. This business is truly distinctive in its industry leadership, strong pipeline position, long-term track record of consistent profitability and cash flow, and an array of growth opportunities.”