Feb 11, 2022 - Economy

Zendesk rejects takeover offer

Dan Primack

A net catching a cloud — Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios

Zendesk said it rejected an unsolicited $16 billion takeover offer from a private equity consortium, which the WSJ reports included Hellman & Friedman, Permira and Advent International.

Why it matters: This comes against the backdrop of Zendesk's continuing efforts to buy SurveyMonkey parent Momentive (Nasdaq: MNTV) over the objection of shareholders like Jana Partners, which is expected to launch a proxy fight. Shareholders of both companies are scheduled to vote on the merger two weeks from today.

Details: Zendesk, a customer engagement SaaS company, opened trading yesterday at $101.42 per share, while the PE approach was for $127–$132 per share. The WSJ also reports that Thoma Bravo is considering a bid.

The bottom line: "PE firms have shown a seemingly endless appetite for software companies and a willingness to partner for buyouts." — Bloomberg

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Zendesk rejects takeover offer

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