Zensar to buy US-based Akibia for USD 66 m in cash
Software services provider Zensar Technologies on Monday signed a definitive agreement to acquire US-based PSI Holdings Inc’s unit Akibia for USD 66 million in cash in bid to increase its on-site presence.
Massachusetts-based Akibia provides IT services to companies worldwide to help them optimise, manage and support their infrastructure and has more than 900 customers.
“There were at least three bids in which we could not participate because they wanted at least 30% of work to be done on shore, which was difficult for us to provide,” said Ganesh Natarajan, vice-chairman and chief executive, Zensar.
The Akibia deal will enable Zensar to bid and secure large contracts with values ranging from USD 5 million to USD 15 million, whereas earlier the firm could only cater to contracts worth USD 2 million to USD 3 million, said Krishna Ramaswami, vice-president, strategic services unit at Zensar.
Akibia’s operations are mostly based on-site, with only one project offshore, Natarajan said.
The deal will be funded partly by way of internal accruals and the rest through debt and is expected to close this quarter, Natarajan said.
The deal will add 1-1.5% to Zensar’s gross margins next fiscal onwards, said Chief Financial Officer S. Balasubramaniam.
Akibia, which was founded in 1988, has revenue of more than USD 100 million and counts companies such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM , Verizon and Goldman Sachs as its customers.
Zensar will continue to look for more acquisitions, preferably in the infrastructure management segment in strategic geographies, Natarajan said.
The company, which has a presence in about 18 countries, will consider targets in Latin American countries, Germany, the U.K. and Holland, among others, he added.
Natarajan said Zensar had earmarked about USD 100 million to spend on acquisitions, of which USD 66 million will be on the Akibia buy.
Source:- Moneycontrol
