PRESS RELEASE
4iG GROUP INTENDS TO BUY VODAFONE HUNGARY JOINTLY WITH THE HUNGARIAN STATE
“This will be the most significant market-shaping transaction in the telecoms industry in Hungary since the privatisation of Matáv in the 1990s.”
Key facts:
- 4iG Nyrt. (4iG), Corvinus Zrt., representing the Hungarian State, and the Vodafone Group have agreed heads of terms for the sale of a 100% stake in Vodafone Magyarország Távközlési Zrt. (Vodafone Hungary) for a total cash consideration equivalent to an enterprise value of HUF 715 bn. This represents a multiple of 7,7x EBITDA* for the twelve month period ending 31st March 2022.
- The combination of 4iG and Vodafone Hungary is a significant step towards building a Hungarian owned national champion in the ICT sector.
- The planned transaction creates significant potential for further growth through cross-selling opportunities, full fixed-to-mobile convergence and scale, resulting in major B2B and B2C revenue synergies. The potential of infrastructure consolidation creates sizeable long-term shareholder value from in-market cost and capex saving synergies.
- The net present value of the combined revenue, cost and capex saving synergies is estimated to be more than 150 billion HUF.
- With the proposed acquisition, 4iG will acquire a 51% stake in the second largest Hungarian telecommunications operator, while the Hungarian State will acquire a 49% stake.
- The planned transaction is expected to close by end of 2022, and is subject to confirmatory due diligence, finalising binding transaction documentation and obtaining necessary regulatory approvals.
4iG continues its expansion in the telecommunications
market with a strategic acquisition which represents a significant further step
in it becoming the Hungarian owned national champion in the ICT sector.
Based on today’s announcement on the Budapest Stock Exchange, 4iG, together
with the Hungarian State, have entered into non-binding heads of terms with the
Vodafone Group to acquire a 100% stake in Vodafone Magyarország Távközlési
Zrt., Hungary’s second largest telecommunications company. With the
acquisition, 4iG will become the majority owner of 51 percent of Vodafone
Hungary, while the Hungarian State will have a 49 percent stake. Vodafone
Hungary is being acquired for a total cash consideration equivalent to an
enterprise value (EV) of HUF 715 bn. This represents a multiple of 7,7x EBITDA* for the twelve month period ending 31st March
2022.
The acquisition of Vodafone Hungary will fundamentally
reshape the Hungarian telecoms market. In addition to fixed voice, internet,
pay-TV and digital terrestrial broadcasting, 4iG will also become a major
player in mobile telecommunications after completion of the transaction.
Through its joint acquisition with the Hungarian State, the infocommunications
group can accelerate its integration processes in all segments of the industry
and, due to its state-of-the-art innovative solutions and technologies, has the
potential to play a key role in the digital transformation of the Hungarian
economy. The transaction creates significant potential for further growth
through cross-selling opportunities, full fixed-to-mobile convergence and
scale, resulting in major B2B and B2C revenue synergies. Additional sizeable
long-term shareholder value is set to be created from in-market cost and capex
saving synergies due to infrastructure consolidation. The net present value of
the combined revenue, cost and capex saving synergies is estimated to be more
than 150 billion HUF.
“The acquisition of Vodafone Hungary will be the most
significant domestic telco transaction in the last thirty years, of a similar
extent to the privatisation of Matáv after the regime change. The acquisition
will create a predominantly Hungarian-owned group of infocommunications
companies and a clear number two operator in the Hungarian market," stressed Gellért Jászai, Chairman and
CEO of 4iG, in connection with the announcement. "Following the
successful completion of the acquisition, our Group will have one of the
largest digital infrastructures in Hungary, which, due to its prominent role,
will become a significant player in Hungarian telecommunications for many
decades to come”.
Vodafone Hungary is the second largest player in the
Hungarian market in absolute terms of share of subscriptions, serving more than
3.8m residential and business (3.0m mobile and 0.8m fixed) subscribers, and
with 5.0m (3.0m mobile, 0.7m TV, 0.7m broadband and 0.6m fixed voice) revenue
generating units (RGU) as of July 2022. In total, the combined group created by
the proposed acquisition would have 5 million customers and have 7,6 million
RGUs as of July 2022. Vodafone Hungary’s digital infrastructure could place 4iG
among the most advanced operators in the Hungarian fixed voice and internet,
cable TV, and mobile markets. The
business solutions of 4iG will provide a wide range of digitalisation
services to the enterprise and government sectors in the areas of data network
solutions, virtual data centres and IoT technologies. Vodafone Hungary was the
first company in Hungary to offer 5G services to its subscribers, and the
company’s next-generation mobile service is continuously expanding nationwide
with hundreds of base stations in Budapest and the Balaton region.
In the 2021/22 financial year, Vodafone Hungary’s
annual net revenue was HUF 278 billion and its adjusted EBITDA exceeded HUF 93 billion.
The company has more than 3,000 employees.
The planned transaction is expected to close by end of 2022, and is subject to confirmatory
due diligence, finalising binding transaction documentation and obtaining
necessary regulatory approvals.
Budapest, 22nd August 2022
*Transaction value excludes IFRS 16 lease liabilities
Background information:
About 4iG Plc.
The Budapest-based 4iG Plc is Hungary’s
leading IT systems integrator with significant interests in the Hungarian and
regional telecommunications markets. The company has been active in the market
for innovative, industry-independent IT technologies for more than 27 years.
The company is continuously expanding its services and portfolio to meet the
changing needs and demands of the ICT market. The Group employs 6,200 people in
Hungary and the Western Balkans. 4iG is a broad-spectrum solutions provider
with significant interests in IT, telecommunications, satellite
telecommunications and telecommunications infrastructure development. The
company, listed on the Budapest Stock Exchange, aims to build a strong market
position across a wide range of infocommunication services.
www.4ig.hu/home
More
information:
Péter Elkán
Group Head of
Corporate Affairs and Communication
sajto
(@) 4ig.hu