Panasonic Corp.
said it is buying U.S. supply-chain software provider Blue Yonder Holding Inc. from
Blackstone Group Inc.
and New Mountain Capital LLC for $7.1 billion in a bid to accelerate its software business.
Panasonic on Friday said the Covid-19 pandemic is leading to sharp changes in supply and demand, making supply-chain management critical for companies. The electronics company said it also is looking to expand recurring business in addition to hardware sales.
Panasonic said it is purchasing an additional 80% stake in the Arizona-based company that it didn’t already own.
Panasonic took a 20% stake in Blue Yonder in July, deepening the companies’ relationship as they jointly develop digital technology for managing logistics, retail and manufacturing operations.
Panasonic’s imaging technology, for example, can be used to monitor inventory levels on store shelves, sending data back to Blue Yonder’s supply-chain software, triggering restocking.
Blue Yonder helps retailers, manufacturers and logistics providers to predict customer demand and serves more than 3,000 customers.
Blue Yonder is the sponsor of The Wall Street Journal’s Logistics Report.
Data-research group
Gartner Inc.
ranked Blue Yonder last year as the world’s third-largest provider in the supply-chain-management software market, based on 2019 revenue, behind
and
Oracle Corp.
Panasonic’s total acquisition cost of $7.1 billion includes $5.6 billion for the equity stake purchase and the cost of debt repayment.
Panasonic said the acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of 2021, subject to antitrust and other regulatory approvals.
Before the Panasonic deal, Blue Yonder had also planned to go public. The company said earlier this month that it had confidentially filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering.
Write to Kosaku Narioka at kosaku.narioka@wsj.com
Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
24World Media does not take any responsibility of the information you see on this page. The content this page contains is from independent third-party content provider. If you have any concerns regarding the content, please free to write us here: contact@24worldmedia.com
Common Mistakes When Using Athletic Field Tarps
High-Performance Diesel Truck Upgrades You Should Consider
Warehouse Optimization Tips To Improve Performance
Fire Hazards in Daily Life: The Most Common Ignition Sources
Yellowstone’s Wolves: A Debate Over Their Role in the Park’s Ecosystem
Earth Day 2024: A Look at 3 Places Adapting Quickly to Fight Climate Change
Millions of Girls in Africa Will Miss HPV Shots After Merck Production Problem
This Lava Tube in Saudi Arabia Has Been a Human Refuge for 7,000 Years
Four Wild Ways to Save the Koala (That Just Might Work)
National Academy Asks Court to Strip Sackler Name From Endowment
Ways Industrial Copper Helps Energy Production
The Ins and Out of Industrial Conveyor Belts