California Pizza Kitchen and Golden Gate Capital announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital will acquire the company for $18.50 per share in cash, or approximately $470 million. The purchase price represents a 32% premium to the 30-day average price prior to the company's Board of Directors authorizing management to begin exploring strategic and financial alternatives on February 23, 2010, and a 15% premium to the 30-day average price prior to the announcement of the transaction. The transaction is currently expected to close in the third quarter of this year.

The announcement follows a comprehensive review undertaken by the Board to maximize stockholder value. CPK formed a special committee, comprised of independent directors, and retained financial advisors to evaluate strategic and financial alternatives. After a thorough assessment, the special committee unanimously recommended and the Board of Directors unanimously approved the agreement. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that the company's stockholders tender their shares in the tender offer.

Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax, co-CEOs, co-chairmen of the Board and co-founders of California Pizza Kitchen, stated, "This announcement represents a very positive outcome for our stockholders and we believe it is also a great development for our employees, guests and business partners. We are very excited as we open a new chapter in the very successful history of CPK. Golden Gate Capital is a leading investor in the restaurant industry, with a proven track record as a value-added partner to its portfolio companies, and we believe that its significant commitment and experience in the sector will benefit all of our stakeholders."
"We have great respect for the California Pizza Kitchen brand," said Josh Olshansky, a managing director with Golden Gate Capital. "The business that the CPK team has built, with its great product offerings, makes it an ideal fit with our long-term oriented approach to investing. We are very pleased to partner with the company to continue to invest in the business for the benefit of all its guests, employees and partners."

Under the terms of the agreement, an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital will commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of the company no later than June 8, 2011. Closing of the transaction is conditioned upon, among other things, satisfaction of a minimum tender condition, clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, receipt of funding under the financing agreements (solely with respect to the tender offer) and other customary closing conditions. In the event that the minimum tender condition is not met, and in certain other circumstances, the parties have agreed to complete the transaction through a one-step merger after receipt of stockholder approval.

Rosenfield and Flax, COO/CFO Susan Collyns and Chief Communications Officer Sarah Goldsmith-Grover of California Pizza Kitchen, who together with their affiliates own in the aggregate approximately 11% of the company's outstanding shares (assuming vesting and net exercise of all of the options held by them), have entered into agreements pursuant to which they will tender their shares into the offer and, if applicable, vote in favor of the merger.

 

Source: California Pizza Kitchen