Mercury NZ Limited/Announcement
Mercury NZ Limited logo

Mercury agrees to acquire Trustpower’s retail business

M&A20 June 2021MCYUtilities

`
The Mercury Building, 33 Broadway, Newmarket 1023


PHONE:

+ 64 9 308 8200

mercury.co.nz

PO Box 90399, Auckland 1142

New Zealand


FAX:

+ 64 9 308 8209




Mercury enters into binding agreements to acquire

Trustpower’s retail business

21 June 2021 – Mercury NZ Limited (Mercury) has announced that it has entered into binding agreements with

Trustpower Limited (Trustpower, NZX:TPW) to acquire Trustpower’s retail business for NZ$441 million, payable in

cash. The transaction is conditional on several matters, including Commerce Commission clearance, completion of

the proposed restructure of Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT) and Trustpower shareholder approval.

Trustpower’s retail business is a leading multi-product utilities retailer selling electricity, gas, fixed and wireless

broadband and mobile phone services to approximately 231,000 customers nationwide.

The combined business will have approximately 780,000 connections across both energy and telco services.

Mercury Chief Executive Vince Hawksworth said the acquisition would accelerate Mercury’s retail strategy, which is

centred on delivering the right product mix and value for customers.

“Mercury and Trustpower are two highly complementary organisations, and this agreement would see the best of

both being brought together for our customers,” said Mr Hawksworth.

“We know customers value the convenience and ease of bundled services in their home and Trustpower has deep

expertise in bundling products in a way that people clearly appreciate. We see this adding material value to our

customers and Mercury.”

“Bringing together the retail businesses of Mercury and Trustpower will also give us the scale to make meaningful

investment in the underlying IT systems, driving greater innovation for our customers.”

Mr Hawksworth said the strength of Trustpower’s retail offering was underpinned by a highly skilled and motivated

team, with approximately 500 staff focused on retail, based in Tauranga and Oamaru.

“We see a huge amount of talent and capability across both organisations, each with a strong focus on delivering

the best possible outcomes for customers. We’re excited for how we can continue to build on this together,” said Mr

Hawksworth.

“Customers will continue to enjoy all the great services and support they have today with Trustpower and with

Mercury. And we’re looking forward to unlocking even more benefits and products for them over time.”

STOCK EXCHANGE LISTINGS: NZX (MCY) / ASX (MCY)


NEWS RELEASE


| Page 2 of 2

Mr Hawksworth noted that deeper integration of the two businesses is not planned until the underlying IT systems

will enable improved customer experience.

Mercury has secured a commitment for a new bank facility sufficient to finance the acquisition.

Mercury notes:

The transaction is conditional on Mercury obtaining Commerce Commission clearance for the purchase of

Trustpower’s retail business. Mercury will be working with the Commerce Commission to progress the application

as efficiently as possible once filed.

In addition to requiring Trustpower shareholder approval, the transaction is also conditional on the proposed TECT

restructure being completed. Independent of this transaction, the TECT trustees already have this restructure

process underway, as they wish to ensure that all Trustpower’s local retail customers (as at 28 January 2021) will

remain beneficiaries of the Trust following any sale of Trustpower’s retail business. Mercury’s offer is conditional

on the restructure occurring to ensure that those Trustpower retail customers could continue as beneficiaries of the

Trust. Further details of the TECT restructure can be found on TECT’s website.

The timing for regulatory approvals depends on several factors, including the current workload of the regulator.

Mercury anticipates that these conditions will be fulfilled and completion of the transaction will occur within CY2021.

Further detail is provided in the accompanying presentation.


ENDS

Howard Thomas

General Counsel and Company Secretary

Mercury NZ Limited



For investor relations queries, please contact:

Tim Thompson

Head of Treasury and Investor Relations

0275 173 470

For media queries, please contact:

Shannon Goldstone

Communication Manager

Media phone: 027 210 5337



ABOUT MERCURY NZ LIMITED

Mercury’s mission is energy freedom. Our purpose is to inspire New Zealanders to enjoy energy in more wonderful

ways and our goal is to be New Zealand’s leading energy brand. We focus on our customers, our people, our

partners and our country; maintain a long-term view of sustainability; and promote wonderful choices. Mercury is

energy made wonderful. Visit us at: www.mercury.co.nz

---

DISCLAIMER
This presentation has been prepared by Mercury NZ Limited and its group of companies (“Company”) for informational purposes. This disclaimer applies to this

document and the verbal or written comments of any person presenting it.

Information in this presentation has been prepared by the Company with due care and attention.However, neither the Company norany of its directors,

employees, shareholders nor any other person gives any warranties or representations (express or implied) as to the accuracy or completeness of this

information. To the maximum extent permitted by law, none of the Company, its directors, employees, shareholders or any other person shall have any liability

whatsoever to any person for any loss (including, without limitation, arising from any fault or negligence) arising from thispresentation or any information

supplied in connection with it.

This presentation may contain projections or forward-looking statements regarding a variety of items.Such projections or forward-looking statements are

based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks, and uncertainties, including material adverse events,

significant one-off expenses and other unforeseeable circumstances. There is no assurance that results contemplated in any of these projections and forward-

looking statements will be realised, nor is there any assurance that the expectations, estimates and assumptions underpinningthose projections or forward-

looking statements are reasonable.Actual results may differ materially from those projected in this presentation.No person is under any obligation to update

this presentation at any time after its release or to provide you with further information about the Company.

The information in this presentation is of a general nature and does not constitute financial product advice, investment advice or any recommendation. The

presentation does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and may not be relied uponin connection with the purchase or

sale of any security. Nothing in this presentation constitutes legal, financial, tax or other advice.

1

TRANSACTION OVERVIEW
2

Mercury has agreed to acquire Trustpowerretail for $441m

1

>The transaction price reflects:

>Trustpower’sretail business –see slide 3

>10-year electricity supply hedge agreement (CFD) with declining

volume over time

>ISP network

>Restructured Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust (TECT) rebate

arrangements

>Settlement following Commerce Commission approval, implementation

of the TECT Deed restructure and Trustpowershareholder approval

>Represents stand-alone acquisition multiple of ~8.0x EBITDAF; ~5.2x

EBITDAF including forecast future cost synergies

2

>Forecast cost synergies of ~$35m

3

per annum after transition

>Expected transition costs of ~$50m

3

over 3 years

>Mercury has secured a commitment for a new bank facility sufficient to

finance the acquisition

1

Including normalised working capital

2

Forecast synergies fully realised after ~3 year transition –see slide 6 for further details

3

Split between opexand capex –see slide 6 for further details

TRUSTPOWER RETAIL AT A GLANCE
3

>Tauranga-based retailer operating in the electricity, gas and

telecommunications markets:

~112,000 telco connections

~252,000 electricity connections

~44,000 gas connections

~8,000 mobile connections

52% of customers with two or more

products

>Nation-wide carrier-grade ISP network and capability

>~550 employees in Tauranga and Oamaru

Source: Trustpower

Electricity

TelcoGas

INDEPENDENT

RETAILERS

INDEPENDENT

RETAILERS

INDEPENDENT

RETAILERS

NEW ZEALAND’S UTILITY MARKETS ARE CONVERGING
4

Other Telco

Electricity

GasBroadband

Coverage and Retail Market Share (% Revenue) by Product (FY20)

Not reported

12%5%

5%

(since 2007)

21%12%

1%

(since 2017)

1%

2%

(Entered NZ energy market Dec 2016)

9%

46%

Planning to enter Aus

energy market

46%

19%13%

Trustpower

Contact

Vocus

Telstra

Optus (incl.

Amaysim)

AGL

Sold to AGL in 2020

7%11%

Not reported

(acquired Southern

Phone in 2020)

Not reported

(launched MVNO via

Optus in Feb 2021)

New Zealand

Australia

Energy

w/ Telco

Bundle

Energy

w/ Telco

Bundle

Telco w/

Energy

Bundle

Telco

Entering

Energy

Native

Telco

Energy

w/ Telco

Bundle

Origin7%8%

Not reported

(since 2018)

Energy

w/ Telco

Bundle

Ways

to Play

Company

Source: Investor presentations, Company announcements, News articles, Industry research reports (e.g. MarketLine, IBISWorld)

>Consumers have responded positively in the New

Zealand market to bundled utility product offerings,

with perceived value of convenience, connectedness

and control over household utilities

>Utility providers have also seen value in delivering

these offerings through:

>Increased share of wallet

>Increased customer tenure

>Ability to cross or up-sell through customer bases

>Increased scale, allowing lower costs per

connection and improved economics for

systems/capability investment

BRINGING TOGETHER TWO COMPLEMENTARY BUSINESSES
5

The merger willaccelerate our retail strategy centred on delivering the right product mix and value

propositions for our customers

> Brings together New Zealand’s largest multi-utility business

>Accelerates our capability to deliver multiple products and services

>Provides scale efficiency to allow us to leverage further investment in technology

>Develops our focuson building high value propositions for customers

PROPORTION OF CUSTOMERS ON MULTIPLE PRODUCTS

48%

52%

Single Product

Multi Product

86%

14%

MERCURY

(Electricity & gas only)

TRUSTPOWER

(Electricity, gas, telco & mobile)

Source: TrustpowerFY2021 Results Presentation

FINANCIAL METRICS AND CAPITAL STRUCTURE
6

Full realisation of integration of businesses will take time

>Forecast cost synergies of $35m per annum

3

(~85% opex,

~15% capex) achieved over 3 year transition period

>Expect transition costs of $50m

4

(~60% opex, ~40% capex)

Purchase price corresponds to $1,060 per connection

>~$640 per connection using purchase price excluding value

of the ISP network, CFD and TECT construct

Increased FY22 gearing expected to decline with full

contribution of recent investments

5

>Mercury has secured a commitment for a new bank facility

sufficient to finance the acquisition

>Mercury is committed to maintaining a BBB+ credit rating

and has flexibility in our capital structure settings

KEY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Purchase price / Enterprise Value (EV)$441m

1

EBITDAF –Stand-alone (year 1)~$55m

2

EBITDAF –Year 1 + forecast synergies (run-rate)~$85m

2

EV / EBITDAF –Stand-alone~8.0x

EV / EBITDAF –Including forecast synergies~5.2x

1

Including normalised working capital

2

On an accounting basis including IFRS15/16 adjustments of ~$15m

3

Year 1 approximately $5m

4

Year 1 approximately $30m

5

Including Trustpowerretail, Tilt and Turiteawind farm

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION > TIM THOMPSON | HEAD OF TREASURY & INVESTOR RELATIONS T. +64 275 173 470 E. INVESTOR@MERCURY.CO.NZ

Data sourced from publicly available filings. Our datasets may not be complete. Automated analysis can produce errors. If you believe any data on this page is incorrect, please contact us at hello@nzxplorer.co.nz. For informational purposes only. Not investment advice.

Other issuers discussed similar conditions around this time

Matched by meaning across NZX announcement text, not keywords — based on our semantic index of announcement bodies.