Saturday, August 2, 2014

Scientific Games Nabs a One-Armed Bandit

Scientific Games (SGMS) is placing a big bet on Bally Technologies (BYI).

Early today, the seller of instant ticketing systems and game-control software announce it was buying the slot machine maker for $5.1 billion, including debt, marking the latest deal in the gaming equipment industry.

Bally shareholders will get $83.30 a share or a 38% premium to the stock’s closing price on Thursday. Scientific Games will take on $1.8 billion of Bally’s debt.

As expected, the news sent Bally's share soaring 20% to $77.72. But investors aren't going all in on the deal, with Scientific Games' share price down 2% to $8.33 a share.

The deal looks good on paper. As the WSJ reports:

The two companies generated combined revenue of about $3 billion in the one-year period ended March 31. The merger plan calls for $220 million of cost synergies and $25 million of capital-expenditure savings through consolidating operations and creating efficiencies across a range of activities.

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Scientific Games said it expects the deal to immediately benefit the company’s per-share earnings and cash flow and help reduce the company’s leverage over the next three to four years.

This is not the first coupling for Scientific Games. In late 2013, it bagged WMS Industries, a maker of gambling equipment, for $1.42 billion, while Bally acquired fellow casino-device maker SHFL Entertainment for $1.3 billion. And in mid-July, casino-equipment maker International Game Technology (IGT) agreed to be acquired by Italian lottery-operator Gtech in a deal worth $4.7 billion.

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