In one of the biggest pharmaceutical deals in history, U.S. drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb announced last Thursday its plans to acquire Celgene in a cash and stock deal valuing the rival drugmaker at roughly $90 billion, including debt.
As the news of the deal hit the market, shares of Celgene jumped 28% in midmorning trading to ~$85 per share, while shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb tumbled 11% to trade at $47 per share.
Under the terms of the deal, Celgene shareholders will receive $50 in cash for each share held along with one Bristol-Myers Squibb share or $102.43 per share, a premium of 53.7% to Celgene's Wednesday close.
Both companies have faced investor wariness about their growth prospects in the recent past. But once the deal goes through, it is expected to create a company which would be a pharmaceutical leader in cancer and immunologic disease treatments, with huge growth prospects.
According to analysts, the deal is a big win for Celgene, which had just overcome one of its toughest years. With investors concerned over the patent expiration of Celgene's top-selling multiple myeloma drug, Revlimid's, shares have tumbled more than 37% in 2018. Following the deal with Bristol-Myers Squibb, the combined entity is expected to have nine drugs which are expected to generate more than $1bn in annual sales, along with an innovative and strong pipeline of products/treatments in early-stage development with revenue potential of ~$15 billion.