United Technologies Corp. (UTC) is still hoping to close on its $30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins by month’s end now that it has found a buyer for an overlapping actuators businesses, UTC CEO Greg Hayes told analysts on September 14. Speaking during an annual Morgan Stanley conference, Hayes conceded that the Rockwell Collins acquisition process has taken “a little bit longer” than anticipated and that “there is still a little work to do.” He pointed to a problem with one of the business divestitures as part of the hold-up.
“It's just taken us longer to find a buyer for one of the businesses that Rockwell has,” he said, adding “That's behind us now,” noting the announcement that came out earlier this month that Safran had signed an agreement to acquire Rockwell Collins’s actuators, pilot controls, and special products business. That sale is expected to finalize in the first half of next year.
Hayes added, “I think we have answered all the questions from all the regulatory agencies,” noting that he believes that necessary approvals from Chinese authorities should come shortly after U.S. Department of Justice clearance. The merger of the two aerospace giants received European approval this past spring.
Once concluded, Hayes added, the acquisition “gives us tailwind into next year.” He reiterated the contention that the “deal looks a heck of a lot better than it did 12 months ago.” Following the acquisition, UTC’s $30 billion business is expected to swell to $50 billion, likely by 2020. He added that the teams have already identified $50 million in cost synergies.
Kelly Ortberg, currently president and CEO of Rockwell Collins, will lead the combined Collins Aerospace business and David Gitlin, currently president of UTC Aerospace Systems, will be COO of the newly combined business Hayes said, adding the two have “done a tremendous job in preparing the Collins and aerospace systems business of UTC to hit the ground running as soon as we close.”
Strategic Options
While work continues on knitting the two entities together, UTC’s board has continued to evaluate strategic options for the company’s future, he said. Initially UTC said it would evaluate options once the Rockwell Collins deal closed, but Hayes added, “We haven't been waiting for the close of Rockwell to do the work, and we have continued over the last 12 months to do analysis around what it would look like to potentially split up UTC.“
The company has looked at various options—“whether it's you split aerospace commercial, whether you split aerospace and the two commercial businesses”—and said work is nearing completion. He anticipates more details within the next 60 days or so.
According to Hayes, the good news is the company does not have to do anything. But feedback is people prefer focus, he said, adding, “Our investor base, even though they appreciate the benefits of UTC and the ability to weather big economic storms is part of the large multinational [company], investors tend to prefer value-focused companies.”
The UTC businesses are strong with great growth prospects, he said. “The question that the board has to answer is, what is the best way to create additional long-term shareowner value? And is that through these focused businesses, or work together as UTC?" That’s what the board hopes to answer in the next 60 days.