Lear Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Eagle Ottawa, The World's Leading Supplier of Automotive Leather
Eagle
"The acquisition of Eagle Ottawa is another important step in strengthening our core seating business, expanding our component capabilities and accelerating profitable sales growth," said
Eagle
The acquisition of Eagle Ottawa fits Lear's previously stated acquisition strategy and financial targets:
Strategic Fit
- Strengthens Lear's Seating business with increased component capabilities
- Complements Lear's existing seat fabric and cut-and-sew operations
- Provides Lear with additional premium leather capabilities
- Enhances craftsmanship and Lear's ability to offer a high level of customization
- Provides opportunity for incremental sales growth
- Further diversifies Lear's customer mix
- Consistent with Lear's capital allocation strategy to invest for profitable growth, maintain a strong and flexible balance sheet and return cash to shareholders
Supports Lear's Financial Targets
- Acquisition made at a fair market valuation and expected to be immediately accretive
- Consistent with Lear's stated gross leverage target of 1.5x EBITDA
- Lear intends to continue to return cash to shareholders; at the end of the second quarter, Lear had approximately
$600 million in remaining share repurchase authorization
The transaction is expected to deliver sales and operating synergies. By combining design, product development and manufacturing capabilities in leather, fabric and our cut-and-sew operations, we will be able to provide improved quality and craftsmanship, while reducing cost for our customers.
Conference Call and Webcast
Lear will host a conference call to review the transaction on
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding anticipated financial results and liquidity. The words "will," "may," "designed to," "outlook," "believes," "should," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "estimates," "forecasts" and similar expressions identify certain of these forward-looking statements. The Company also may provide forward-looking statements in oral statements or other written materials released to the public. All such forward-looking statements contained or incorporated in this press release or in any other public statements which address operating performance, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates may occur in the future, including, without limitation, statements related to business opportunities, awarded sales
contracts, sales backlog and ongoing commercial arrangements, or statements expressing views about future operating results, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from any or all forward-looking statements made by the Company. Important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions in the markets in which the Company operates, including changes in interest rates or currency exchange rates; the financial condition and restructuring actions of the Company's customers and suppliers; changes in actual industry vehicle production levels from the Company's current estimates; fluctuations in the production of vehicles or the loss of business with respect to, or the lack of commercial success of, a vehicle model for which the Company is a
significant supplier; disruptions in the relationships with the Company's suppliers; labor disputes involving the Company or its significant customers or suppliers or that otherwise affect the Company; the outcome of customer negotiations and the impact of customer-imposed price reductions; the impact and timing of program launch costs and the Company's management of new program launches; the costs, timing and success of restructuring actions; increases in the Company's warranty, product liability or recall costs; risks associated with conducting business in foreign countries; the impact of regulations on the Company's foreign operations; the operational and financial success of the Company's joint ventures; competitive conditions impacting the Company and its key customers and suppliers; disruptions to the Company's information technology systems, including those related to
cybersecurity; the cost and availability of raw materials, energy, commodities and product components and the Company's ability to mitigate such costs; the outcome of legal or regulatory proceedings to which the Company is or may become a party; the impact of pending legislation and regulations or changes in existing federal, state, local or foreign laws or regulations; unanticipated changes in cash flow, including the Company's ability to align its vendor payment terms with those of its customers; limitations imposed by the Company's existing indebtedness and the Company's ability to access capital markets on commercially reasonable terms; impairment charges initiated by adverse industry or market developments; the Company's ability to execute its strategic objectives; changes in discount rates and the actual return on pension assets; costs associated with compliance with environmental
laws and regulations; the impact of new regulations related to conflict minerals; developments or assertions by or against the Company relating to intellectual property rights; the Company's ability to utilize its net operating loss, capital loss and tax credit carryforwards; global sovereign fiscal matters and creditworthiness, including potential defaults and the related impacts on economic activity, including the possible effects on credit markets, currency values, monetary unions, international treaties and fiscal policies; and other risks described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
Information in this press release relies on assumptions in the Company's sales backlog. The Company's sales backlog reflects anticipated net sales from formally awarded new programs less lost and discontinued programs. The calculation of the sales backlog does not reflect customer price reductions on existing or newly awarded programs. The sales backlog may be impacted by various assumptions embedded in the calculation, including vehicle production levels on new programs, foreign exchange rates and the timing of major program launches.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update, amend or clarify them to reflect events, new information or circumstances occurring after the date hereof.
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