Cott acquires Primo Water Corporation

Cott Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Cott will acquire Primo Water Corporation for $14.00 per share payable in cash and stock (or a combination thereof) at the election of Primo’s stockholders, subject to the terms of the merger agreement. The transaction, which values Primo at approximately $775 million, was unanimously approved by both the Cott and Primo Boards of Directors. Primo is a provider of water dispensers, purified bottled water, and self-service refill drinking water in the U.S. and Canada.

The combination of Cott and Primo, along with the recent announcement of Cott’s evaluation of certain strategic alternatives for its S&D Coffee and Tea business, including a sale of S&D, will transition Cott into a pure-play water company.

Billy D. Prim, Primo’s interim CEO and Executive Chairman, commented, “This combination of two highly recognized water companies creates compelling value for all stakeholders, including our customers, employees, shareholders and suppliers. The newly created company will have approximately $2 billion in combined water sales and a presence in 21 countries worldwide.  We are excited about the opportunity to provide sustainable hydration solutions to more people than either company could have done alone.”