Actian Corp. said Monday that it has increased its proposed price to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Pervasive Software, Inc. (PVSW) common stock from $8.50 per share to $9.00 per share in cash, increasing the proposed equity transaction value to about $164.1 million, conditioned on being permitted to complete confirmatory due diligence.
Actian disclosed that Pervasive has demanded that Actian sign a standstill that would prohibit Actian from communicating publicly or presenting its offer to Pervasive's shareholders for one year even if Pervasive's board declines to proceed with any transaction, has refused to include Actian's lender in Actian's group that would be given access for due diligence, and has required that any confidential information be used only in a "negotiated transaction."
"We believe Pervasive's positions are intended to keep a transaction from happening, and we know they would deny Pervasive's shareholders the opportunity to consider our offer. Opportunities like this do not sit idly for a year," said Actian's Chief Executive Officer, Steve Shine.
Actian also disclosed that it has advised the Pervasive board in writing that Actian is prepared to increase its proposed price as publicly announced today, and is willing to accept a 30-day standstill to allow Pervasive to complete its process, but that Pervasive continues to refuse access unless Actian accepts the restrictions outlined above.
The new proposed price of $9.00 per share is well above the highest level reached by Pervasive's common stock the ten years prior to the last trading day before Actian's public announcement of its initial $8.50 bid for Pervasive on August 13.
Actian said it is proposing the very significant increase to enable Pervasive to conclude its process, and Actian again requests that Pervasive enter into a period of exclusive discussions with Actian, as it believes that working together, the companies can quickly consummate a deal.
Actian noted that more than two months have gone by since its proposal was made public and that Pervasive has publicly solicited for bidders for over a month, yet Actian is not aware of any other party having made a firm bid.
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