(AOF) – Saint-Gobain has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Building Products of Canada Corp (a non-listed player producing roofing shingles for the residential sector as well as wood fiber insulation panels in Canada) for an amount of 1.325 billion Canadian dollars in cash (approximately 925 million euros). Before synergies, the price corresponds to a valuation multiple of approximately 11.9 times Building Products of Canada’s 2022 EBITDA of C$111 million.
The multiple is approximately 8.2 times EBITDA after taking into account full-year synergies of approximately C$50 million.
Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to occur by the end of 2023.
Thanks to Building Products of Canada, Saint-Gobain will be well positioned to provide the best service to Canadian customers, with an expanded, innovative and sustainable solution offering.
Roofing products from Building Products of Canada complement Saint-Gobain’s Exterior Solutions offering in Canada, after the addition of the siding segment with the acquisition of Kaycan in 2022.
The acquisition completes the existing activities of CertainTeed Canada, already a leader in Interior Solutions (gypsum, insulation, ceilings).
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Key points
– World leader in housing materials, created in 1665;
– Turnover of €51.2 billion divided into 5 branches, Northern Europe for 24%, Southern Europe & Africa (including France) for 30%, Americas for 18% and High performance ;
– Business model based on a complete portfolio of brands and a solution-based approach: productivity gains for construction professionals, well-being for the end user and tailor-made performance & innovation for the industrial client;
– Split capital (8.3% for employees), Pierre-André de Chalendar, chairing the 14-member board of directors, Benoît Bazin as general manager;
– Solid balance sheet with net debt of €8.2 billion, ie 1.2 leverage and 35% of equity, and free cash flow of €3.8 billion.
Challenges
– “Grow & Impact” strategic plan launched in October 2021:
– growth superior to the markets
– offer of integrated, differentiated solutions for the decarbonization of construction,
– industrial investments of around €1.5 billion;.
– Innovation strategy with 3 principles, anticipation of standards, integration of digital in production and customer journeys and sustainable growth:
– structured by 20 platforms shared by the industrial and construction client businesses: smart materials, robotization, lightening of materials, reduction of the carbon footprint in manufacturing processes, etc.,
– customer experience with 90% of sales covered by PIM, “digital pricing” accelerating sales;
– internally, Open program in the form of a “Digital journey”, Datala, partnerships with start-ups led by NOVA, etc.,
– externally, partnerships with research or industrial centers, such as Ecocem, participation in EAGLE, WOOL2LOOP, etc. projects, and co-development with customers;
– Environmental strategy integrated into the product offer, 72% of the portfolio contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions, aiming for total neutrality by 2050, validated by the SBTi and endowed with intermediate objectives for 2030 vs 2017:
– 33% reduction in CO2 emissions vs 2017, with zero carbon production in 2022 of glazing in France and plaster in Sweden,
– research in solid oxygen fuel cells,
– circular economy avoiding the extraction of solid raw materials,
– launch of green loans;
– Optimization of the group’s profile through disposals and acquisitions (Chryso and GPC, Panofrance and Rockwool, India, Kaycan, Urumix, etc.), resulting in a strengthening in North America and emerging countries as well as in construction chemicals ( 10% of sales).
Challenges
– Decline in the cyclical nature of activity, less dependent on the construction sector;
– Inflation of raw materials, transport and energy, for a cost of €3 billion in 2022 more than offset by increases in selling prices and by hedging energy costs;
– Use of funds from the disposal of UK construction activities;
– Towards a moderate market slowdown in 2023;
– After a record net profit, 2023 objective of higher sales growth than the market and an operating margin of 9 to 11%;
– 2022 dividend up 23% and share buyback.
Learn more about the Building Materials sector
Lack of visibility
The National Union of Quarry and Building Materials Industries (Unicem) indicates that, after an initial downturn in the second quarter, activity continued to deteriorate in the third quarter and recorded a drop in both aggregates (-1.3 %) than on ready-mixed concrete (-0.9%). Over the first nine months of the year, the decline was 2% for the materials business as a whole. Only tiles and bricks manage to show slight increases in activity.
The general outlook is deteriorating and recruitment difficulties and rising costs are the main sources of concern. Furthermore, Unicem underlines the difficulties in implementing the projects. The production of materials could decline this year by 3% for ready-mixed concrete (BPE) and 4% for aggregates.