【英语财经】中国财团收购美国打印机制造商利盟 Chinese consortium snaps up Lexmark for $3.6bn

Lexmark, a US printer manufacturer, has agreed to be acquired by a Chinese consortium for $3.6bn as mainland companies continue their spending spree on established brands in developed markets.

Apex Technology, which makes printer components in China; PAG, a Hong Kong-based private equity group; and Chinese conglomerate Legend Holdings together offered $40.50 in cash per Lexmark share, according to a statement from Lexmark late on Tuesday.

Lexmark’s board of directors unanimously approved the offer, which represents a 16.8 per cent premium to the company’s share price of $34.66 at Tuesday’s close in New York.

Paul Rooke, Lexmark’s chairman and chief executive, said the takeover would help the company, which also sells enterprise software, to “more fully penetrate the Asia-Pacific market”.

Jackson Wang, chairman of Apex Technology, which is listed on the technology-focused Shenzhen stock exchange, said Lexmark was a “tremendous cultural fit”. He said the acquisition would help Apex, which makes components for laser and inkjet printer cartridges, to pursue “untapped opportunities for future growth”.

The Chinese consortium said it intends to keep Lexmark’s corporate headquarters in Lexington in the US state of Kentucky. It added that Mr Rooke will retain his roles as chairman and chief executive.

The acquisition is subject to approval from competition authorities in various jurisdictions as well as clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

Lexmark said it does “not currently anticipate any significant hurdles from regulatory reviews”.

美国打印机制造商利盟(Lexmark)已同意被一家中国财团以36亿美元收购，中国内地企业延续着对发达市场成熟品牌的收购狂潮。

利盟周二晚发布的声明显示，这家由中国打印机部件制造商艾派克科技(Apex Technology)、香港私人股本公司太盟投资集团(PAG)以及中国综合性企业联想控股(Legend Holdings)组成的财团，向利盟提出了每股40.50美元的现金报价。

利盟董事会一致批准了这一报价。这一报价相对于利盟周二在纽约市场的收盘价每股34.66美元溢价16.8%。

利盟董事长兼首席执行官保罗?鲁克(Paul Rooke)表示，此次收购将帮助公司“更彻底地渗透亚太市场”。利盟还销售企业软件。

艾派克在科技股云集的深圳证交所上市。该公司董事长汪东颖(Jackson Wang)表示，利盟与艾派克有“很高的文化契合度”。他表示，此次收购将有助于艾派克追求“可实现未来增长的潜在商机”。艾派克生产激光和喷墨打印机墨盒部件。

这家中国财团表示，打算保留利盟设在美国肯塔基州列克星敦的公司总部，鲁克也将继续担任利盟的董事长兼首席执行官。

此次收购有待各司法管辖区反垄断当局以及美国外国投资委员会(CFIUS)的批准。

利盟表示，它“眼下不认为在监管审查方面会遇到什么重大障碍”。

译者/何黎