Treatt agrees to be taken over in £183m deal

(Sharecast News) - Shares in Treatt soared on Wednesday, after the 140-year-old extracts and ingredients specialist agreed to be taken over in a £183m deal. Germany's Dohler Group has offered 305p per share in cash for the FTSE All Share company, a 48% premium to Tuesday's closing price. Dohler, a privately-owned specialist in food and drink ingredients, has built up a stake of 27.9% in the British firm in recent months.

Shareholders will also retain the previously declared final divided of 3p per share.

Recommending the deal, Treatt chair Vijay Thakrar said: "The board believes that the proposed acquisition represents a positive outcome for Treatt shareholders, providing the certainty of a cash exit at an attractive value.

"Dohler would be a highly complementary owner for Treatt, offering the scale, resources and global platform to support the business' development over time."

Martin Tolksdorf, chief marketing officer at Dohler, said the German firm had "long admired" treat. He continued: "Having worked closely with Treatt over many years as a strategic supplier and customer, we are excited at the prospect of expanding our partnership.

"As a family-owned business founded over 185 years ago, the Dohler Group has a long-term approach to ownership."

As at 0930 BST, the stock had rocketed 46% to 300p.

The deal - Treatt's second takeover approach in eight months - comes after a difficult period for the business, which was founded on London's Bond Street in 1886.

Posting numbers alongside the takeover announcement, it confirmed interim revenues had fallen 6.5% in the six months to 31 March, to £59.9m, while adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation had tumbled 18.1% to £5.4m. The group has been hit by sustained high citrus prices and softer consumer confidence in the US.

Last November, Treatt shareholders rejected a 290p per share offer from rival Natara Global.

Treatt acknowledged that since that offer had lapsed, trading had stabilised. However, it warned that profits remained "subdued" compared to recent years, noting: "The independent committee believe that the business remains in the early stages of its recovery amid a challenging and uncertain macroeconomic backdrop."

The Dohler deal, which remains subject to shareholder approval, is scheduled to complete in the third quarter.

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