Teleperformance, a leading global group in digitally integrated business services, announced that it has acquired Senture, a significant business process outsourcing (BPO) operator for government services in the United States, from Kingswood Capital Management, L.P. (Kingswood), a US private investment firm based in Los Angeles, California.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in London, Kentucky, with revenue of US$192 million and an adjusted EBITA margin of 16% (2021e), Senture offers a unique onshore citizen experience delivery model, well aligned with US government requirements.
Government services (Federal, State and Local) represent nearly 80% of Senture’s revenue, while commercial healthcare support services represent the remaining portion. Senture’s citizen support activities are specifically designed to handle queries in healthcare, education, transportation and social services.
For Teleperformance, the rationale of the acquisition is supported by three factors:
Teleperformance is pursuing its vertical specialization strategy by strengthening its citizen lines of service, already active in the United States, UK, Continental Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Africa; the acquisition is opening up new opportunities for growth in the US.
Senture benefits from sound financials, with strong top-line growth and an EBITA margin above that of Teleperformance.
The operation is accretive to Teleperformance’s earnings per share by around +5%.
The consideration for the transaction (enterprise value) is US$400 million. The acquisition is fully financed through debt. Paul Hastings LLP acted as legal advisors to Teleperformance in connection with the acquisition. Goodwin Procter LLP and Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated acted as legal and financial advisors, respectively, to Senture and Kingswood in connection with the acquisition.
Teleperformance Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Julien, said: “Senture delivers critical services to a large number of clients in the high-potential government services market in the United States. It is a great organization with a growing onshore network of more than 4,500 advisers, of which 85% work from home. This acquisition will reinforce the Group’s global leadership in the citizen lines of service vertical, which offers strong potential growth worldwide, notably in the US. It also positively impacts Teleperformance’s profitability profile. This acquisition is consistent with Teleperformance’s vertical specialization strategy.”
“When completed, the deal will create immediate value for Teleperformance shareholders as it is expected to be accretive to earnings on a pro forma basis for 2021,” he added.
“Senture is a truly differentiated asset in the government BPO industry,” said Alex Wolf, Managing Partner of Kingswood. “We are extremely grateful to Senture and its management team for their partnership and relentless execution under our ownership, which has resulted in significant growth, strengthened market positioning, and impressive diversification into new verticals. This investment is a perfect example of Kingswood’s value-added, operational improvement strategy.”
About Teleperformance Group
Teleperformance (TEP – ISIN: FR0000051807 – Reuters: TEPRF.PA – Bloomberg: TEP FP), a leading global group in digitally integrated business services, serves as a strategic partner to the world’s largest companies in many industries. It offers a One Office support services model combining three wide, high-value solution families: customer experience management, back-office services and business process knowledge services. These end-to-end digital solutions guarantee successful customer interaction and optimized business processes, anchored in a unique, comprehensive high tech, high touch approach. The Group’s 331,000 employees, based in 80 countries, support billions of connections every year in over 265 languages and 170markets, in a shared commitment to excellence as part of the “Simpler, Faster, Safer” process. This mission is supported by the use of reliable, flexible, intelligent technological solutions and compliance with the industry’shighest security and quality standards, based on Corporate Social Responsibility excellence. In 2019, Teleperformance reported consolidated revenue of €5,355 million (US$ 6 billion, based on €1 = $1.12) and net profit of €400 million.Teleperformance shares are traded on the Euronext Paris market, Compartment A, and are eligible for the deferred settlement service. They are included in the following indices: CAC 40*, CAC Support Services, STOXX 600, S&P Europe 350 and MSCI Global Standard. In the area of corporate social responsibility, Teleperformance shares have been included in the Euronext Vigeo Eurozone 120 index since 2015, the FTSE4Good index since 2018 and also the Ethibel Sustainability Excellence Europe index (confirmed in2019).