Royalty Pharma plc (Nasdaq: RPRX) today announced two major steps
to enhance shareholder value.
- First, the Board of Directors has
agreed to acquire its external manager, RP Management, LLC (the
“Manager”). This transaction to simplify Royalty Pharma’s corporate
structure is expected to result in multiple benefits for
shareholders. On a financial basis, the acquisition is expected to
reduce costs and enhance economic returns on investments.
Specifically, the acquisition will generate cash savings of greater
than $100 million in 2026 and greater than $175 million in 2030,
and drive cumulative savings of greater than $1.6 billion over ten
years. The acquisition also increases shareholder alignment,
enhances corporate governance, ensures management continuity, and
simplifies Royalty Pharma’s corporate structure.
- Second, the Board has approved a new
$3 billion share repurchase program as part of the company’s
evolving approach to returning capital to shareholders. In 2025,
the company intends to repurchase $2 billion of shares, subject to
market conditions. The total value of shares repurchased will
depend on the discount to the intrinsic value at which the shares
are trading.
Henry Fernandez, lead independent director of Royalty Pharma’s
Board of Directors and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MSCI
Inc., said, “The Board of Directors of Royalty Pharma is pleased to
announce this transaction which it believes increases shareholder
alignment and enhances corporate governance. Coupled with the new
$3 billion share repurchase authorization, we expect these actions
to drive shareholder value creation over the long-term.”
Pablo Legorreta, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Royalty
Pharma commented, “We see the internalization of RP Management as a
highly compelling next step in the evolution of our business which
will yield many financial and strategic benefits to shareholders.
We are also planning to significantly increase our share
repurchases given the discount at which our shares are trading
relative to intrinsic value. Our strong balance sheet and healthy
cash flow will allow us to execute this plan while continuing to
add attractive new royalties to our portfolio.”
Key Strategic Benefits to Shareholders
The internalization transaction is expected to provide multiple
significant benefits to shareholders including:
- Significant Savings: Cash savings are expected
to be greater than $100 million in 2026 and greater than $175
million in 2030, compared to the status quo, with cumulative
savings of greater than $1.6 billion over ten years. These savings
will increase Portfolio Cash Flow that can be redeployed into
value-enhancing royalty acquisitions and returned to
shareholders.
- Enhanced Alignment: A majority of the total
consideration expected to be paid for the acquisition of the
Manager consists of equity vesting over 5 to 9 years, replacing
cash bonuses to senior management through 2033. Extinguishing the
management fee largely for equity further strengthens alignment
between management and shareholders.
- Increased Investment Returns: The
internalization of the Manager and the resulting extinguishment of
the management fee will immediately enhance returns to shareholders
on investments.
- Management Continuity: All employees of the
Manager will become part of the integrated company, ensuring
long-term continuity of personnel and operations, with 5 to 9 year
vesting of the equity consideration to maximize employee
retention.
- Improved Governance: The Board will have
greater oversight over executive compensation and succession,
furthering Royalty Pharma's commitment to robust governance
practices.
- Simplification: The new integrated structure
will reduce complexity, ease comparability with other companies,
and enhance transparency.
- Potential to Expand Shareholder Base and Enhance
Valuation Over Time: Royalty Pharma has received feedback
from investors that its externally managed structure is an
impediment to investing in Royalty Pharma. Internalizing the
Manager, with all the benefits described above, has the potential
to expand Royalty Pharma’s shareholder base and enhance
the company’s valuation over time.
RP Management Internalization Transaction
Terms
Royalty Pharma will acquire the Manager for approximately 24.5
million shares of Royalty Pharma equity that will vest over 5 to 9
years, approximately $100 million in cash1, and the assumption of
$380 million of existing Manager debt. The total transaction value
of approximately $1.1 billion (based on the closing price of
Royalty Pharma plc common stock of $26.20 on January 8, 2025), with
the majority paid in long-term deferred equity, is expected to be
more than offset by cumulative cash savings of greater than $1.6
billion over the next ten years. The equity component will
represent approximately 4% of shares outstanding, assuming all
shares vest.
Royalty Pharma plc will continue to be obligated to pay Equity
Performance Awards (which are based on long-term investment
performance) on existing and future investments on the current
terms.
The closing of the internalization transaction will be subject
to shareholders’ approval of the issuance of the share
consideration and other customary closing conditions, including
required regulatory approvals. Members of the Board of Directors
and management of Royalty Pharma who control approximately 25% of
the fully diluted shares of Royalty Pharma have agreed to vote in
favor of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close
during the second quarter of 2025.
Increased Share Repurchase Program
Royalty Pharma plc’s Board of Directors has approved a $3
billion share repurchase program. Reflecting the company’s
confidence in its strong fundamental outlook, the company intends
to repurchase $2 billion of shares in 2025, subject to market
conditions. The total value of shares repurchased will depend on
the discount to the intrinsic value at which the shares are
trading. This $3.0 billion share repurchase program replaces the
unused $465 million of the company’s original $1.0 billion share
repurchase program that was announced in March 2023.
Maintaining Guidance for New Royalty Investments,
Dividend Policy, and Commitment to Investment Grade Credit
Rating
Royalty Pharma will maintain the financial capacity to execute
on its previously announced guidance for average annual capital
deployment of between $2.0 and $2.5 billion per year. Royalty
Pharma also remains committed to growing its dividend by mid-single
digit percentages annually and maintaining its investment grade
credit rating.
Background on the Manager
Royalty Pharma has been externally managed since its founding in
1996, and the Manager conducts all aspects of Royalty Pharma’s
business and operations. The Manager is owned by Pablo Legorreta
and other members of senior management. Prior to this transaction,
Royalty Pharma had no employees, but instead relied on the
employees of the Manager to manage the business. Royalty Pharma
currently pays the Manager a quarterly management fee of 6.5% of
Portfolio Receipts and 0.25% of the value of security investments.
The management fee expense is reported within General and
administrative expenses in Royalty Pharma’s consolidated statements
of operations and the cash paid is reported as Payments for
operating and professional costs on its consolidated statements of
cash flows and within its non-GAAP liquidity measures. Following
the closing of the internalization transaction, Royalty Pharma will
cease to be externally managed and will operate as an integrated
company with all current employees of the Manager becoming
employees of Royalty Pharma.
Prior to 2024, Pablo Legorreta was the sole owner of the
Manager. In early 2024, with a view to further institutionalizing
the Manager and creating an orderly path for long-term succession
and management continuity, 35 members of the management team were
granted equity interests in the Manager that vest over 10 years.
Members of management other than Pablo Legorreta will receive
approximately 50% of the equity consideration issued in the
internalization transaction. That equity will continue to vest
through 2033, creating a powerful retention and incentivization
tool, enhancing the partnership culture at the company, and further
aligning management’s compensation with long-term shareholder
returns. In addition, Pablo Legorreta’s ownership in the Manager
was not subject to vesting prior to the internalization transaction
as he was the founder of the Manager. However, instead of receiving
his share of the equity issued in the internalization transaction
outright upon closing, Pablo Legorreta agreed that the shares of
Royalty Pharma he will receive will vest over five years.
Advisors
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor and
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is serving as legal counsel to the
Board of Royalty Pharma plc. Evercore is serving as financial
advisor and Akin Gump LLP is serving as legal counsel to RP
Management, LLC. BofA Securities, Inc. is also providing financial
advice to Royalty Pharma plc.
Conference Call
Royalty Pharma will host a conference call and simultaneous
webcast to discuss the transaction today, Friday, January 10th at
8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Please visit the “Investors” page of the
company’s website at
https://www.royaltypharma.com/investors/events/ to obtain
conference call information and to view the live webcast. A replay
of the conference call and webcast will be archived on the
company’s website for at least 30 days.
About Royalty Pharma
Founded in 1996, Royalty Pharma is the largest buyer of
biopharmaceutical royalties and a leading funder of innovation
across the biopharmaceutical industry, collaborating with
innovators from academic institutions, research hospitals and
non-profits through small and mid-cap biotechnology companies to
leading global pharmaceutical companies. Royalty Pharma has
assembled a portfolio of royalties which entitles it to payments
based directly on the top-line sales of many of the industry’s
leading therapies. Royalty Pharma funds innovation in the
biopharmaceutical industry both directly and indirectly – directly
when it partners with companies to co-fund late-stage clinical
trials and new product launches in exchange for future royalties,
and indirectly when it acquires existing royalties from the
original innovators. Royalty Pharma’s current portfolio includes
royalties on more than 35 commercial products, including Vertex’s
Trikafta, GSK’s Trelegy, Roche’s Evrysdi, Johnson & Johnson’s
Tremfya, Biogen’s Tysabri and Spinraza, AbbVie and Johnson &
Johnson’s Imbruvica, Astellas and Pfizer’s Xtandi, Novartis’
Promacta, Pfizer’s Nurtec ODT and Gilead’s Trodelvy, and 14
development-stage product candidates. For more information, visit
www.royaltypharma.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
The information set forth herein does not purport to be complete
or to contain all of the information you may desire. Statements
contained herein are made as of the date of this document unless
stated otherwise, and neither the delivery of this document at any
time, nor any sale of securities, shall under any circumstances
create an implication that the information contained herein is
correct as of any time after such date or that information will be
updated or revised to reflect information that subsequently becomes
available or changes occurring after the date hereof. This document
contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” as
that term is defined in the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that express
the company’s opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives,
assumptions or projections regarding future events or future
results, in contrast with statements that reflect historical facts.
Examples include discussion of Royalty Pharma’s strategies,
financing plans, growth opportunities, market growth, and plans for
capital deployment, plus the benefits of the internalization
transaction, including cash savings, enhanced alignment with
shareholders, increased investment returns, expectations regarding
management continuity, transparency and governance, and the
benefits of simplification to its structure. In some cases, you can
identify such forward-looking statements by terminology such as
“may,” “might,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,”
“anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “target,” “forecast,”
“guidance,” “goal,” “predicts,” “project,” “potential” or
“continue,” the negative of these terms or similar expressions.
Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current
beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to
the company. However, these forward-looking statements are not a
guarantee of Royalty Pharma’s performance, and you should not place
undue reliance on such statements, including because the
internalization transaction is subject to shareholder approval.
Forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties
and other variable circumstances, and other factors. Such risks and
uncertainties may cause the statements to be inaccurate and readers
are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements. Many
of these risks are outside of Royalty Pharma’s control and could
cause its actual results to differ materially from those it thought
would occur. The forward-looking statements included in this
document are made only as of the date hereof. Royalty Pharma does
not undertake, and specifically declines, any obligation to update
any such statements or to publicly announce the results of any
revisions to any such statements to reflect future events or
developments, except as required by law. For further information,
please reference Royalty Pharma’s reports and documents filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by visiting
EDGAR on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
In connection with the transaction, Royalty Pharma will file
with the SEC a proxy statement on Schedule 14A. The definitive
proxy statement will be sent to the stockholders of Royalty Pharma
seeking their approval of the transaction and other related
matters.
Investors and security holders are urged to read the proxy
statement on schedule 14A when it becomes available, as well as any
other relevant documents filed with the SEC in connection with the
transaction or incorporated by reference into the proxy statement,
because they will contain important information regarding Royalty
Pharma, the transaction and related matters.
Investors and security holders may obtain free copies of these
documents, including the proxy statement, and other documents filed
with the SEC by the Company through the website maintained by the
SEC at
https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1802768&owner=exclude.
Copies of documents filed with the SEC by Royalty Pharma will be
made available free of charge by accessing its website at
https://www.royaltypharma.com/investors/ or by contacting Royalty
Pharma via email by sending a message to ir@royaltypharma.com.
Participants in the Solicitation
Royalty Pharma and its directors and executive officers may be
deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the
stockholders of Royalty Pharma in connection with the transaction
under the rules of the SEC. Information about the interests of the
directors and executive officers of Royalty Pharma and other
persons who may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of
stockholders of Royalty Pharma in connection with the transaction
and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by
security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the proxy
statement related to the transaction, which will be filed with the
SEC. Information about the directors and executive officers of
Royalty Pharma and their ownership of Royalty Pharma common stock
is also set forth in Royalty Pharma’s definitive proxy statement in
connection with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed
with the SEC on April 25, 2024 (and which is available at
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000114036124022029/ny20020881x1_def14a.htm)
and in Royalty Pharma’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2023 (and which is available at
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000180276824000012/rprx-20231231.htm).
Information about the directors and executive officers of Royalty
Pharma, their ownership of the Royalty Pharma common stock, and
Royalty Pharma’s transactions with related persons is set forth in
the sections entitled “Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate
Governance,” “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and
Management and Related Stockholder Matters,” and “Certain
Relationships and Related Stockholder Matters” included in Royalty
Pharma’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2023, which was filed with the SEC on February 15,
2024 (and which is available at
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000180276824000012/rprx-20231231.htm),
and in the sections entitled “Certain Relationships and Related
Party Transactions,” and “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial
Owners,” included in the Company’s definitive proxy statement in
connection with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed
with the SEC on April 25, 2024 (and which is available at
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1802768/000114036124022029/ny20020881x1_def14a.htm).
Additional information regarding the interests of such participants
in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the transaction will
be included in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to
be filed with the SEC when they become available. These documents
can be obtained free of charge from the SEC’s website at
www.sec.gov.
No Offer or Solicitation
This communication is not intended to and shall not constitute
an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or the solicitation
of any vote of approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities
in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would
be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the
securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offer of securities
shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the
requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
Portfolio Receipts
Portfolio Receipts is a key performance metric that represents
our ability to generate cash from our portfolio investments, the
primary source of capital that we can deploy to make new portfolio
investments. Portfolio Receipts is defined as the sum of Royalty
Receipts and Milestones and other contractual receipts. Royalty
Receipts includes variable payments based on sales of products, net
of contractual payments to the legacy non-controlling interests,
that are attributed to Royalty Pharma.
Milestones and other contractual receipts include sales-based or
regulatory milestone payments and other fixed contractual receipts,
net of contractual payments to legacy non-controlling interests,
that are attributed to Royalty Pharma. Portfolio Receipts does not
include proceeds from equity securities or proceeds from purchases
and sales of marketable securities, neither of which are central to
our fundamental business strategy.
Portfolio Receipts is calculated as the sum of the following
line items from our GAAP statements of cash flows: Cash collections
from financial royalty assets, Cash collections from intangible
royalty assets, Other royalty cash collections, Proceeds from
available for sale debt securities and Distributions from equity
method investees less Distributions to legacy non-controlling
interests - Portfolio Receipts, which represent contractual
distributions of Royalty Receipts, milestones and other contractual
receipts to RPSFT and the Legacy Investors Partnerships.
Distributions to RPSFT substantially ended in December 2023 when we
acquired the remaining interest in RPCT held by RPSFT.
Use of Non-GAAP Measures
Adjusted EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow are non-GAAP liquidity
measures that exclude the impact of certain items and therefore
have not been calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow
are important non-GAAP measures used to analyze liquidity because
they are key components of certain material covenants contained
within Royalty Pharma’s credit agreement. Royalty Pharma cautions
readers that amounts presented in accordance with the definitions
of Adjusted EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow may not be the same as
similar measures used by other companies or analysts. These
non-GAAP liquidity measures have limitations as analytical tools,
and you should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute
for the analysis of Royalty Pharma’s results as reported under
GAAP.
The definitions of Adjusted EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow used
by Royalty Pharma are the same as the definitions in the credit
agreement. Noncompliance with the interest coverage ratio, leverage
ratio and Portfolio Cash Flow ratio covenants under the credit
agreement could result in lenders requiring the company to
immediately repay all amounts borrowed. If Royalty Pharma cannot
satisfy these covenants, it would be prohibited under the credit
agreement from engaging in certain activities, such as incurring
additional indebtedness, paying dividends, making certain payments,
and acquiring and disposing of assets. Consequently, Adjusted
EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow are critical to the assessment of
Royalty Pharma’s liquidity.
Adjusted EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow are used by management
as key liquidity measures in the evaluation of the company’s
ability to generate cash from operations. Management uses Adjusted
EBITDA and Portfolio Cash Flow when considering available cash,
including for decision-making purposes related to funding of
acquisitions, debt repayments, dividends and other discretionary
investments. Further, these non-GAAP liquidity measures help
management, the audit committee and investors evaluate the
company’s ability to generate liquidity from operating
activities.
Royalty Pharma Investor Relations and
Communications
+1 (212) 883-6637ir@royaltypharma.com
______________________
1 The cash component of the consideration consists of $200
million in cash less the amount of the management fees paid to the
Manager from January 1, 2025 through the closing of the
transaction. The transaction is estimated to close during the
second quarter of 2025 and the management fee paid through the
closing is expected to be approximately $100 million.
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