REDWOOD CITY: Electronic Arts Inc. and Glu Mobile Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement under which Electronic Arts will acquire Glu Mobile.
Under the terms of the agreement, EA will acquire Glu for $2.1 billion in enterprise value, a news release said.
Glu stockholders will receive $12.50 in cash for each share of Glu stock, representing a 36% premium to Glu’s closing share price on February 5, 2021. Upon closing, the acquisition will be immediately accretive to Electronic Arts’ total net bookings, and is expected to grow underlying profitability beginning in its first year.
The acquisition will immediately add significant scale to Electronic Arts’ mobile games business. The combination of Electronic Arts and Glu creates a leading mobile product portfolio that includes more than 15 top live services across fast-growing genres with a combined $1.32 billion in bookings over the last twelve months.
Bringing together the best-in-class mobile development teams at Glu and Electronic Arts’ mobile business, with a collective portfolio of powerful IP in sports, lifestyle, RPG, casual and other genres, and leveraging Electronic Arts’ marketing and distribution strength to generate global reach, the combined organization will build on EA’s network of 430 million players, including more than 100 million monthly active players in mobile, and expand to new audiences and demographics all over the world.
“Our acquisition of Glu combines amazing teams and deeply-engaging products to create a mobile games leader with proven expertise across many fast-growing genres,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts.
“Mobile continues to grow as the biggest gaming platform in the world, and with the addition of Glu’s games and talent, we’re doubling the size of our mobile business. With a deep IP portfolio and an expanding global audience, we’ll deliver more exciting experiences for our players and drive further growth for Electronic Arts.”
“This transaction is the culmination of the tremendous work of the Glu team to deliver world-class interactive experiences for our players, while driving business momentum that has led to strong financial and operational results. It represents a terrific outcome for all of our stockholders and other key constituents,” said Nick Earl, CEO of Glu. “As part of Electronic Arts, we will continue capitalizing on the opportunities ahead in the expanding mobile gaming industry.”
The board of directors of each of Electronic Arts and Glu Mobile have approved the transaction and the Glu board recommends that Glu stockholders approve the transaction and adopt the merger agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Glu stockholders will receive $12.50 in cash for each share of Glu stock, representing an equity value of $2.4 billion, and a total enterprise value of $2.1 billion including Glu’s net cash of $364 million.
The transaction is anticipated to close in the quarter ending June 30, 2021, subject to approval by the Glu stockholders, the receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Electronic Arts is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers. In fiscal year 2020, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $5.5 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS FIFA, Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, Madden NFL, Need for Speed, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies. www.ea.com/news
Glu Mobile is a leading developer and publisher of mobile games. Founded in 2001, Glu is headquartered in San Francisco with additional locations in Foster City, Toronto and Hyderabad.
With a history spanning over a decade, Glu’s culture is rooted in taking smart risks and fostering creativity to deliver world-class interactive experiences for our players. Glu’s diverse portfolio features top-grossing and award-winning original and licensed IP titles including, Covet Fashion, Deer Hunter, Design Home, Diner DASH Adventures, Disney Sorcerer’s Arena, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood and MLB Tap Sports Baseball available worldwide on various platforms including the App Store and Google Play. www.glu.com
Covet Fashion, Deer Hunter, Design Home, Diner DASH, Tap Sports, Glu and Glu Mobile are trademarks of Glu Mobile Inc.