Big deal: Builders FirstSource to acquire ProBuild

Builders FirstSource, Inc. a leading supplier and manufacturer of structural and related building products for residential new construction in the United States, today announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire ProBuild Holdings LLC , in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.63 billion.

The transaction, which was approved by the Builders FirstSource Board of Directors, is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2015.

ProBuild was created in 2006 by Devonshire Investors, the private equity firm affiliated with FMR LLC, the parent company of Fidelity Investments. With approximately $4.5 billion in revenue in 2014, ProBuild is one of the largest distributors of building materials to professional builders, contractors and project-oriented consumers in the United States. ProBuild operates lumberyards, component facilities, millwork shops, gypsum yards and retail stores across 40 states. Together, Builders FirstSource and ProBuild will have an enhanced portfolio of products with increased breadth and depth within its categories, including lumber, windows, doors, millwork, hardware, roof and floor trusses, engineered wood products, gypsum, roofing, metal and concrete products, cabinets and countertops. In addition, the combined company will better serve its customer base through its broader scale and operating footprint, enabling it to deliver products and services more effectively and efficiently.

 Floyd Sherman, Chief Executive Officer of Builders FirstSource, said, "We are very pleased to announce this compelling combination with ProBuild to create a more diversified company with enhanced scale and an improved geographic footprint that will drive significant value for our customers and stockholders. As the U.S. housing market continues its recovery, we believe now is the ideal time to position Builders FirstSource for its next phase of growth and value creation. Together we will establish a broader, more efficient platform of manufacturing and distribution capabilities, supported by high-quality service from the best talent in the industry. In addition, each of our companies has complementary strengths, and we plan to learn from each other by implementing best practices across the combined company. Builders FirstSource and ProBuild have two of the best sales forces in the industry and share a commitment to enhancing the deep, long-standing customer relationships that each company has cultivated. We look forward to working with the ProBuild team to plan for a seamless integration that will enable us to create exciting new opportunities."

Paul S. Levy, Chairman of the Board of Builders FirstSource and Founder of JLL Partners, said, "Since JLL Partners founded Builders FirstSource in 1998 and took the company public in 2005, we have been intently focused on creating a leading platform that professionalizes the building products industry through a best practices approach to conducting business. We are accomplishing our objective by providing a variety of products and services as well as personalized attention to our customers at the local level, and the combination announced today will significantly advance these efforts across a broader operating footprint. We are confident that the substantial additional resources that ProBuild brings to Builders FirstSource will help drive significant value creation over the long-term."

David A. Barr, Managing Director, Co-Head of Industrial and Business Services, Warburg Pincus, commented, "When we first partnered with Builders FirstSource, we saw significant opportunities for the company to pursue acquisitions in the highly fragmented building products distribution industry. Builders FirstSource has established itself as a leader in its field, and this combination with ProBuild will enable the Company to continue to capitalize on favorable market trends in the housing market."