BAE Systems Secures Regulatory Approvals for Acquisition of Ball Aerospace

Further to the announcement of 17 August 2023, BAE Systems has now received the necessary regulatory approvals and will be executing steps in the coming days to complete the acquisition of Ball Aerospace from Ball Corporation. The final transaction is expected to close at a purchase price of $5.5 billion (approximately £4.4 billion), which will be funded through existing cash and new external debt. The transaction will be treated as an asset purchase for federal tax purposes, with an expected net present value tax benefit of c.$750m making the underlying economic consideration for the business c.$4.8bn.

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A Ball Aerospace specialist inspects components of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. (Photo: Business Wire)

Ball Aerospace is a leading provider of spacecraft, mission payloads, and optical and antenna systems with decades of proven success underpinned by world class advanced technologies. The business has trusted customer relationships in the Intelligence Community, US Department of Defense, civilian space agencies, and with major aerospace and defence primes, and is well positioned in highly attractive markets, including military and civil space, C4ISR, and missiles and munitions. The business is based in Colorado, with more than 5,200 employees, many of whom hold US security clearances.

BAE Systems and Ball Corporation will be executing the plan to complete the acquisition in the coming days. The newly acquired business will be called Space & Mission Systems and will map within the Electronic Systems reporting segment.

BAE Systems shall provide 2024 Group guidance at our preliminary results on 21 February 2024 incorporating the acquisition.

Commenting on today's announcement, Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive of BAE Systems, said:

"In recent years, we’ve said that we would seek out opportunities to grow our portfolio in advanced technology areas that meet our customers’ most urgent needs, and completing the acquisition of Ball Aerospace is an example of that strategy in action.

"We look forward to welcoming the employees of Ball Aerospace to BAE Systems, bringing one of industry’s most respected and capable businesses into the Group. The addition of this quality, fast-growing technology-focused business will significantly expand our presence in this increasingly critical space domain and further enhances our value compounding model of top line growth, margin expansion and high cash generation.”

Cautionary statement:

All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this announcement including, without limitation, those regarding the financial condition, results, operations and businesses of BAE Systems and its strategy, plans and objectives and the markets and economies in which it operates, are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements which reflect management's assumptions made on the basis of information available to it at this time, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors which could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of BAE Systems or the markets and economies in which BAE Systems operates to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. BAE Systems plc and its directors accept no liability to third parties in respect of any such forward-looking statements.

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