Tesla’s move to acquire battery and ultra-capacitor tech company Maxwell is being challenged by investors in a class action lawsuit to stop the acquisition.
Earlier this month, Tesla announced the acquisition of the San Diego-based ultracapacitor and battery company Maxwell for over $200 million.
Bloomberg Terminal is now reporting that some investors have filed a class action in San Diego federal court to abort the all-stock transaction, which they say was at an “unfair” price in an “unfair” process.
Before the deal was announced, Maxwell’s stock traded at just over $3.00 per share for a valuation of $140 million.
The board approved Tesla’s offer to acquire them for $4.75 per share making the transaction worth over $200 million.
Electrek’s Take
The seriousness of this class action is unclear at this point.
The board has approved Tesla’s offer and it sounds like they did approve the deal with the backing of most investors.
That said, there was a lot of back and forth between the two companies and it sounds like Maxwell was pushing for a much higher price.
Apparently, Tesla and Maxwell had discussions for years over potential opportunities between the two companies, but Tesla started being serious about acquiring them in December 2018.
At that point, they started negotiations and Tesla made several offers that were refused. It wasn’t until Tesla threaten to pull their interest in the company that they finally decided to accept the offer.
It’s nothing exceptional when it comes to acquisition negotiation, but it’s something to think about as some investors are trying to kill the deal.
Here’s a timeline of the discussions between Tesla and Maxwell:
On December 12, 2018, Brian Scelfo of Tesla contacted Dr. Fink to convey Tesla’s interest in a potential acquisition of Maxwell rather than pursuing a strategic commercial relationship. Prior to December 12, 2018, none of the discussions between representatives of Maxwell and Tesla involved the possibility of an acquisition of Maxwell. Mr. Scelfo explained to Dr. Fink Tesla’s strategic rationale for a potential acquisition of Maxwell. Dr. Fink informed Mr. Scelfo that while Maxwell was not actively looking to sell the company, he would inform the Maxwell board of directors of Tesla’s current interest in a potential acquisition of Maxwell.
On December 13, 2018, Dr. Fink received a call from Mr. Scelfo, who called Dr. Fink as a follow up to his December 12 call, to express Tesla’s interest in conducting due diligence for a potential transaction. Following the call, Mr. Scelfo sent a mutual nondisclosure agreement to Dr. Fink so the parties could begin discussions and for preliminary diligence in connection with a potential transaction. On December 14, 2018, Tesla and Maxwell entered into the mutual nondisclosure agreement related to a possible negotiated transaction between Tesla and Maxwell.
On December 14, 2018, Tesla delivered a non-binding letter of intent to Dr. Fink proposing to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Maxwell for a per share purchase price of $2.35, which represented a premium of 15.2% from the closing price of Maxwell’s stock on December 14, 2018. The purchase price would be paid in shares of Tesla stock based on an exchange ratio to be fixed at the time of signing definitive transaction documents. In addition, Mr. Scelfo requested that Maxwell enter into an exclusivity agreement as it related to a proposed acquisition and delivered a draft to Dr. Fink. Dr. Fink then promptly informed the Maxwell board of directors of the letter of intent and interest from Tesla.
On December 16, 2018, Dr. Fink called Mr. Scelfo to inform him that the Maxwell board of directors would be holding a telephonic meeting on December 18, 2018, primarily for the purpose of approving a transaction unrelated to the Tesla non-binding letter of intent, and the Maxwell board of directors would also likely consider the Tesla offer at this meeting, but that based on Maxwell’s standalone plan and the moderate proposed premium to the Maxwell trading price represented by Tesla’s initial offer, the offer presented by Tesla would likely not be accepted by the Maxwell board of directors. Dr. Fink and Mr. Scelfo agreed that an in-person meeting between representatives of Tesla and Maxwell would be helpful for Tesla to further understand Maxwell’s products, technology and operations and the benefits of a potential acquisition transaction and allowing it to offer a higher valuation.
Between December 17 and December 19, 2018, Dr. Fink had numerous calls and email correspondence with Mr. Scelfo in order to prepare for an inperson meeting on December 20, 2018. Dr. Fink also informed Mr. Scelfo that the Maxwell board of directors declined Tesla’s offer, and that Tesla would need to increase its offer price to interest the Maxwell Board in a sale transaction.
On December 20, 2018, senior business development and engineering personnel and other members of Tesla management met with the CEO, CFO, senior operations personnel and other members of Maxwell management at Maxwell’s headquarters. Maxwell provided Tesla with further information regarding Maxwell’s products, technology and operations for the purpose of assisting Tesla with further analyzing the benefits of a potential acquisition transaction. Representatives of Tesla also provided information regarding Tesla’s programs and particular interest in Maxwell’s business, product lines and operations.
Following the meeting on December 20, 2018, Mr. Scelfo, on behalf of Tesla, delivered a revised non-binding letter of intent to Dr. Fink to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Maxwell for a per share purchase price of $3.10, which represented a premium of 56% from the closing price of Maxwell’s stock on December 20, 2018. Other terms of the offer remained the same as the initial letter of intent. Mr. Scelfo also indicated that a decision regarding a potential acquisition of Maxwell by Tesla would have to be reached quickly in order to not delay other important investment decisions at Tesla. Dr. Fink promptly provided the revised letter of intent to the Maxwell board of directors along with an update of his discussions with Mr. Scelfo.
After the December 22, 2018 Maxwell board of directors meeting, Dr. Fink informed Mr. Scelfo that Tesla’s revised offer was not accepted by the Maxwell board of directors and that the Maxwell board of directors would need a higher price in order to support a sale transaction with Tesla. Dr. Fink informed Mr. Scelfo, however, that he and his team were willing to work with Tesla through the holidays to help Tesla better understand the value that Tesla could realize through an acquisition of the company and further explain why the Maxwell board of directors was seeking a higher valuation.
Between December 23 and December 28, 2018, Dr. Fink had numerous email correspondences with Mr. Scelfo in order to conduct further diligence and discuss the benefits of a potential transaction. During this period, Mr. Scelfo also conveyed that Tesla was no longer interested in a potential strategic commercial arrangement with Maxwell and it would move in a different direction should Maxwell and Tesla be unable to reach an agreement regarding a potential acquisition of the entire capital stock of Maxwell.
After the December 28, 2018 Maxwell board of directors meeting, Dr. Fink contacted Mr. Scelfo via e-mail to discuss why the Maxwell board of directors felt a higher valuation was justified. Dr. Fink also provided Mr. Scelfo with a high-level summary of management’s net present value analysis, as reviewed by the Maxwell board of directors at the meeting earlier in the day. Dr. Fink also provided Mr. Scelfo with buy-in analysis of Maxwell’s larger institutional investors as previously previewed by the Maxwell board of directors. In addition, Dr. Fink reiterated that it was the view of the Maxwell board of directors that a higher value would likely be needed to gain the support of Maxwell’s largest institutional investors. At such time, Dr. Fink indicated to Mr. Scelfo that it was the Maxwell board of directors’ view that it would likely require at least $5.75—$6.00 per share to gain the support of Maxwell’s largest institutional investors.
Between January 3 and January 7, 2019, Dr. Fink had additional email and telephone correspondence with Mr. Scelfo.
On January 7, 2019, Mr. Scelfo, on behalf of Tesla, delivered a revised non-binding letter of intent to Dr. Fink to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Maxwell for a per share purchase price of $4.35, which represented a premium of 75% from the closing price of Maxwell’s stock on January 7, 2019. The other terms of the offer remained the same as Tesla’s initial letter of intent. Dr. Fink shared the revised non-binding letter of intent with Maxwell’s Strategic Transaction Committee on the morning of January 8, 2019.
In connection with the revised offer, Dr. Fink and Mr. Scelfo agreed to arrange an additional in-person meeting pursuant to which Tesla could meet additional members of the Maxwell team and learn more about Maxwell’s operations, technology and products.
Dr. Fink and Mr. Scelfo continued to communicate via email in between January 7, 2019 and January 10, 2019, and Dr. Fink indicated that Tesla’s latest offer was unlikely to be accepted by the Maxwell board of directors.
On January 11, 2019, senior business development and engineering personnel and other members of Tesla management met with the CEO, CFO, senior operations personnel and other members of Maxwell management and personnel at Maxwell’s headquarters in San Diego. During the meetings, Tesla indicated that members of its management team would be having a technical and business review on the following Monday and an update on negotiations with Maxwell would be provided to Tesla’s Chief Executive Officer and Audit Committee. Tesla made it clear that their latest offer was at the high end of the range in which approval from its Audit Committee had been given. Moreover, Mr. Scelfo indicated that, while Tesla may consider any counter-proposal from Maxwell, any higher proposal from Maxwell may cause Tesla to discontinue discussions and explore any and all alternative solutions available to Tesla, including alternatives that were simultaneously being considered or in development at Tesla.
On January 18, 2019, Mr. Scelfo, on behalf of Tesla, delivered a revised non-binding letter of intent to Dr. Fink. The offer continued to be an acquisition of 100% of the outstanding shares of capital stock of Maxwell. In the non-binding letter of intent, Tesla indicated a new per share purchase price of $4.75. While this was still lower than Maxwell’s initial request of $5.75—$6.00 per share that was discussed with Mr. Scelfo in December, it represented a premium of 66% from the closing price of Maxwell’s stock on January 17, 2019. Tesla indicated it would be amenable to discussing a fixed value construct, subject to a potential mutually agreed to price collar should Tesla share price move outside a certain percentage between signing and closing.
On January 20, 2019, Maxwell received a priority due diligence list from Tesla.
On January 23, 2019, Maxwell provided certain employees of Tesla with access to a virtual data room that contained materials regarding Maxwell’s business that were responsive to Tesla’s priority due diligence request list. Throughout the negotiation period, Maxwell continued to provide materials and Tesla continued to conduct due diligence on Maxwell.
From January 19 through January 22, 2019, Tesla and Maxwell continued to exchange revised drafts of the non-binding letter of intent and exclusivity agreement.
On January 23, 2019, Maxwell and Tesla entered into the non-binding letter of intent and an exclusivity and non-solicitation agreement with Tesla providing for exclusive negotiations through February 21, 2019. Later on January 23, 2019, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati, Tesla’s outside legal advisors (“WSGR”), sent a draft of a proposed definitive merger agreement to representatives of DLA Piper LLP (US), Maxwell’s outside legal advisor (“DLA”).
Between January 23, 2019 and February 1, 2019, representatives of Maxwell held a number of lengthy management meetings in person and by conference call with various representatives of Tesla, during which in-depth financial, technological, legal and other due diligence was conducted, including meetings at Tesla’s offices on January 24 and 25, 2019, between members of Maxwell’s management and other employees of Tesla.
On January 24, 2019, representatives of DLA provided a revised draft of the definitive merger agreement to representatives of WSGR. Significant areas of negotiation included the scope and terms of the interim operating covenants, the timing of the closing and the outside date for the transaction, the structure of the transaction, the calculation of the Tesla trading price and collar terms, the terms upon which Maxwell could consider an alternative acquisition proposal and the process for dealing with any such proposal, and triggers for the possible payment of a termination fee and/or possible expense reimbursement.
On January 26, 2019, WSGR sent an initial draft of a form tender and support agreement in line with Tesla’s request to have certain Maxwell executive officers and all directors and their affiliated funds sign such an agreement. On January 27, 2019, representatives of DLA provided a revised draft of the form of tender and support agreement to representatives of WSGR, which was finalized over the course of the next several days.
On January 26, 2019, Tesla delivered a more extensive due diligence request list to Maxwell that supplemented the initial high priority due diligence request list. Maxwell continued to provide materials to Tesla in response to the due diligence request lists.
Between January 25 and February 2, 2019, representatives of DLA and representatives of WSGR exchanged drafts of the merger agreement and ancillary transaction documents and held telephonic discussions to progress negotiations between the parties on transaction terms.
On January 31, 2019, members of Maxwell management, along with representatives of DLA, held a conference call with members of Tesla management regarding reverse legal and financial due diligence by Maxwell of Tesla and Tesla Common Stock. After the close of market trading on February 1, 2019, representatives of Tesla visited Maxwell’s facility in Peoria, Arizona, to view the commercial production facility. Members of Maxwell’s senior management and engineering personnel were also present.
On February 3, 2019, the Tesla board of directors held a special meeting and approved the terms of the merger agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. Following the meeting, on February 3, 2019, Maxwell and Tesla signed the definitive merger agreement and, before the open of markets on February 4, 2019, Maxwell issued a press release announcing the transaction
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