Chicago, Apr. 28 - Mars Inc's status as a private company allowed it to offer a $23 billion price for Wm Wrigley Jr Co, which might not have been possible for a publicly traded company, a top Mars executive said Monday.
Mars, the maker of M&M's and Snickers, agreed to pay $80 a share for the world's largest chewing gum maker, a 23 percent premium to Friday's closing price on a stock that was already trading near the top multiples of the U.S. food industry.
While Paul Michaels, Mars' global president, allowed that the proposed price was "rich," he said it made sense for Mars.
"Based on the way we were set up, privately, we have a better chance to make a deal like this work than most other companies," Michaels said in an interview with Reuters.
Mars invests all of its profits back into its business, while a public company generally pays dividends and has other obligations, Michaels said.
Being able to make longer-term investments is one reason that Mars currently plans to remain private, Michaels said.
"One of our principles is the freedom principle, which means we make make money, but we invest it in the business, which allows us to be free," Michaels said. "We don't have any thoughts about doing an IPO."
Being part of a private company, with such a structure, was attractive to Wrigley, chairman Bill Wrigley said during the same interview.
"We have been very happy with our growth and certainly would continue to grow as a public company," Wrigley said.
But once Mars offered a price that was in a range that made financial sense, Wrigley's board looked at other considerations, such as the lack of overlap between Wrigley's and Mars' brands, the long-term investment focus and Mars' attention to the company's culture and heritage, Wrigley said.
"You put it all together, and say this company can be in a private operating environment. It just accelerates (and) really enables greater growth and greater focus on the long term than we might be able to do as a public company," Wrigley said.
Mars generally has grown its business internally, but in recent years has made small acquisitions in the pet food business -- including S&M NuTech, maker of Greenies dog snacks, and the U.S. operations of private label pet food maker Doane Pet Care Enterprises in 2006.
The company then looked at where it could boost its confectionery business, and sought more diversity within its chocolates business. Michaels said.
While not ruling out other acquisitions, Michaels said the Wrigley business could take some time to integrate.
"You are always looking at other possibilities, but it will probably take us a while to digest this," Michaels said.