Twitter are on the brink of accepting Elon Musk’s “best and final” $43 billion cash offer, people familiar with the matter have said.
Twitter are reportedly set announce the $54.20-per-share deal later on Monday once its board has met to recommend the transaction to Twitter shareholders, the sources said, adding it was still possible the deal could collapse at the last minute.
Musk, the world’s richest person according to Forbes, is negotiating to buy Twitter in a personal capacity and Tesla is not involved in the deal.
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Twitter has not been able to secure so far a ‘go-shop’ provision under its agreement with Musk that would allow it to solicit other bids once the deal is signed, the sources said.
Still, Twitter would be allowed to accept an offer from another party by paying Musk a break-up fee, the sources added.
Twitter shares were up 4.5% in pre-market trading in New York at $51.15.
Musk, a prolific Twitter user, has said it needs to be taken private to grow and become a genuine platform for free speech.
I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter, because that is what free speech means
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 25, 2022
The 50-year-old entrepreneur, who is also CEO of rocket developer SpaceX, has said he wants to combat trolls on Twitter and proposed changes to the Twitter Blue premium subscription service, including slashing its price and banning advertising.
The billionaire, a vocal advocate of cryptocurrencies, has also suggested adding dogecoin as a payment option on Twitter.
He has said Twitter’s current leadership team is incapable of getting the company’s stock to his offer price on its own, but stopped short of saying it needs to be replaced.
Musk’s Private Twitter Plan
“The company will neither thrive nor serve this societal imperative in its current form,” Musk said in his offer letter last week.
Up to the point Musk disclosed a stake in Twitter in April, the company’s shares had fallen about 10% since Parag Agrawal took over as CEO from founder Jack Dorsey in late November.
The deal, if it happens, would come just four days after Musk unveiled a financing package to back the acquisition.
Musk unveiled his intention to buy Twitter on April 14 and take it private via a financing package comprised of equity and debt. Wall Street’s biggest lenders, except those advising Twitter, have all committed to provide debt financing.
Musk’s negotiating tactics – making one offer and sticking with it – resembles how another billionaire, Warren Buffett, negotiates acquisitions. Musk did not provide any financing details when he first disclosed his offer for Twitter, making the market skeptical about its prospects.
- Reuters with additional editing by Sean O’Meara
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