Merck KGaA To Buy Sigma-Aldrich For $17.0 Bln - Quick Facts

(RTTNews) - German drug maker Merck KGaA (MKGAY.PK) said Monday that it agreed to buy Sigma-Aldrich Corp. (SIAL) for $140 per share in cash, in a transaction valued at $17.0 billion or 13.1 billion euros.

The agreed price represents a 37% premium to the latest closing price of $102.37 on September 19, 2014, and a 36% premium to the one-month average closing price.

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to Merck's EPS pre and EBITDA margin.

Merck expects to achieve annual synergies of about 260 million euros or approximately $340 million, which should be fully realized within three years after closing.

Closing is expected mid-year 2015, subject to regulatory approvals, approval by a special meeting of the shareholders of Sigma-Aldrich and other customary closing conditions.