(Bloomberg) -- MoneyGram International Inc., one of the largest money-transfer services in the U.S., agreed to be acquired by Madison Dearborn Partners for about $1 billion in cash.
The private equity firm will pay $11 a share for Dallas-based MoneyGram, the companies said Tuesday in a statement. The price is 23% higher than the closing price Monday. Madison Dearborn also agreed to refinance $799 million of the target's debt.
MoneyGram has been a takeover target for years, as more people turn to online payments and away from old-school money-transfer services. Chinese financial-services conglomerate Ant Group Co. agreed to buy MoneyGram in 2017, but walked away after pushback from regulators. Rival Western Union Co. sought to acquire the company in 2020, people familiar with the matter said at the time.
MoneyGram shares, which have climbed about 15% in the past 12 months, rose 18% to $10.55 at 10:03 a.m. in New York.
The acquisition by Madison Dearborn will enable MoneyGram “to accelerate the advancement of our digital growth strategy,” Chief Executive Officer Alex Holmes, who will continue to lead the firm after the deal is completed, said in the statement. “We will have greater opportunities to innovate and transform MoneyGram to lead the industry in cross-border payment technology and deliver a more expansive set of digital offerings.”
Remittances to most regions increased last year, aided by the economic recovery in the U.S. and Europe. Flows jumped almost 22% in Latin America and the Caribbean last year, 9.7% in the Middle East and North Africa, and 8% in South Asia, the World Bank said in November.
The MoneyGram acquisition, which includes a 30-day “go shop” period, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter. Debt financing for the deal is being provided by Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Deutsche Bank AG and Barclays Plc.
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