Nikola Corporation, a manufacturer of heavy-duty commercial battery-electric vehicles, fuel-cell electric vehicles, and energy solutions, and Romeo Power, an energy storage technology company, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement in which Nikola will acquire Romeo in an all-stock transaction.
Nikola expects the acquisition will allow for significant operational improvement and cost reduction in battery pack production. The addition of Romeo’s battery and battery management system (BMS) engineering capabilities are also expected to support accelerated product development and improved performance for Nikola customers.
Headquartered in Cypress, California, Romeo is an energy storage technology company focused on designing and manufacturing lithium-ion battery modules and packs for commercial vehicle applications.
“Romeo has been a valued supplier to Nikola, and we are excited to further leverage their technological capabilities as the landscape for vehicle electrification grows more sophisticated. With control over the essential battery pack technologies and manufacturing process, we believe we will be able to accelerate the development of our electrification platform and better serve our customers,” said Mark Russell, Nikola’s Chief Executive Officer.
Nikola has agreed to provide Romeo with $35 million in interim funding to facilitate continued operations through closing. Funding will consist of $15 million in senior secured notes and up to $20 million for a pack delivery incentive which is a temporary price increase for each pack delivered through the expected transaction close.
The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of both companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Nikola will commence an exchange offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Romeo’s common stock.
Romeo stockholders will receive 0.1186 of a share of Nikola common stock for each Romeo share, representing an equity value of approximately $144 million and 4.5% pro forma ownership of Nikola. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of October 2022.
“As Romeo’s largest customer, Nikola has been a cornerstone of our development and growth, and this is a natural evolution of our relationship. Our products provide critical energy density important to heavy-duty vehicles, combined with safety performance and battery management software. Following an extensive review of alternatives, we firmly believe that this combination offers the best opportunity for Romeo shareholders to participate in the ongoing value creation at a larger scale, stronger combined company. It is exciting to see Romeo joining the Nikola family.”
According to Mercom’s 1H and Q2 2022 Funding and M&A Report for Storage, Grid & Efficiency, there were 13 energy storage M&A transactions in 1H 2022 compared to nine in 1H 2021.
