GGRAsia – Crane aims to complete split into 2 listed entities by April 3

Crane aims to complete split into 2 listed entities by April 3

Feb 08, 2023 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News

Crane Holdings Co, a provider of products to sectors including the casino industry, says the group intends to complete the split into two listed entities “on April 3,” this year. In a Tuesday release, the firm announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission had declared effective the firm’s registration statement on Form 10, marking another step towards the separation transaction.

Crane outlined in March last year a plan to divide into two independent, publicly-traded companies, with the aim to “optimise investment and capital allocation, accelerate growth, and unlock shareholder value”.

Under the plan, Crane Co is to cover the aerospace and electronics segment, the process flow technologies business, and the engineered materials business. Crane NXT Co will oversee the payment and merchandising technologies business.

In October, the group appointed Aaron Saak as president and chief executive of Crane NXT.

“The effectiveness of the Form 10 is another key milestone toward the separation transaction, and further confirmation that we are on-track to complete the transaction on our original target date in early April,” stated Max Mitchell, Crane’s president and chief executive, in prepared remarks included in the release.

He added: “We continue to believe that the separation will deliver long-term value for our stakeholders by creating two focused businesses, each with differentiated technology, industry leading positions, strong balance sheets and significant opportunities for growth and value creation.”

According to the statement, it is expected the separation will occur through a tax-free distribution of the aerospace and electronics, process flow technologies, and engineered materials businesses to the group’s shareholders. These businesses will be under an entity called Crane Co.

Crane Holdings Co will retain the payment and merchandising technologies businesses, and will be renamed Crane NXT Co.

It is expected that Crane NXT’s shares will be quoted on the New York Stock Exchange, with the executives currently leading Crane’s payment and merchandising technologies business “continuing to serve in senior positions”.

This year, Crane’s payment and merchandising technologies business is expected to achieve approximately US$1.4 billion in sales, with a pre-corporate adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin of approximately 30 percent, stated the firm.

Crane’s net sales for full-year 2022 were flat in year-on-year terms, at just above US$3.37 billion. Net income for the 12 months was down 5.7 percent year-on-year, to US$410.6 million.