AutoWeb Announces Definitive A – GuruFocus.com

TAMPA, Fla., July 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoWeb, Inc. ( AUTO) (“AutoWeb” or the “Company”), an automotive matchmaking platform connecting in-market car shoppers to their preferred vehicle transactions, announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by a subsidiary (the “Purchaser”) of One Planet Group, LLC (“One Planet Group”), under which the Purchaser will pay a cash purchase price of $0.39 per share of AutoWeb. Payam Zamani, One Planet Group’s CEO, will assume the role of President and CEO of AutoWeb, Inc., and Jared Rowe will transition out of the business.

“Not many founders get the opportunity to return to a company that they helped create. AutoWeb has been a pioneer in the online automotive industry and in many ways directly influenced its evolution,” stated Payam Zamani, CEO of One Planet Group. “It is now time for the company to experience an evolution to prepare for the challenges and the opportunities in the automotive industry of tomorrow.”

The acquisition, which has been approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of a Special Committee of the Board consisting of independent, disinterested directors, is structured as a two-step merger, with the first step being a tender offer for all issued and outstanding shares of AutoWeb by the Purchaser and the second step being a merger in which any shares of AutoWeb that were not tendered in the tender offer would be converted into the right to receive the same cash price per share as stockholders who tendered in the tender offer. The factors considered by the Special Committee and the Board are further described in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on the date of this release. The parties have agreed to commence the tender offer by August 1, 2022.

The closing of the tender offer and acquisition are subject to customary closing conditions and other terms and conditions detailed in the merger agreement. The merger is expected to close by September 16, 2022.

The Company is represented in this transaction by its financial advisor, Houlihan Lokey, and its legal counsel, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. One Planet Group is…