The 3-D printing segment is a bit more consolidated following a new buyout. Stratasys (SSYS 4.03%) announced that it has signed an agreement under which the privately held MakerBot will merge with it. This will be effected through a stock swap, in which Stratasys will issue 4.76 million new shares to obtain a 100% stake in MakerBot.
This values the transaction at roughly $403 million based on Stratasys' most recent closing stock price of $84.60. Additionally, MakerBot's shareholders can potentially gain up to an extra 2.38 million shares by the end of 2014 if certain performance-based goals are met.
At the moment, Stratasys has roughly 38.7 million shares outstanding.
According to the Stratasys press release announcing the news, MakerBot has built the largest installed base of 3-D dektop printers on the market, selling more than 22,000 since its founding in 2009. In Q1 2013, the firm posted revenue of $11.5 million.
The transaction is expected to close during Q3 of this year, pending approval from the relevant regulatory bodies. Stratasys said the merger is anticipated to be slightly dilutive to its non-GAAP earnings this year and accretive by the end of 2014. MakerBot will operate as a separate subsidiary of the company.
