Buffett Bids $500M for Wesco Stake - Analyst Blog

Following up on his intention of buying 19.9% of Wesco Financial Corp.’s (WSC) holding, Warren Buffett -- Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A, BRK.B) -- yesterday formally announced a bid to that effect.

The offer laid down by Buffet to buy the rest of Wesco includes a combination of Class-B shares (Buffet uses Class-B shares for acquisitions) and cash. The total value reserved for the acquisition is approximately $500 million, when measured in terms of the acquiring company’s book value per share, which stood at $353 at the end of June 30, 2010.

Pasadena, California-based Wesco has been 80.1% owned by Blue Chip Stamps, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire since 1973. Thus, Wesco and its subsidiaries are controlled by Blue Chip and therefore, indirectly, by Berkshire. All of these companies may also be deemed to be under the control of Buffett, who owns of 24.3% of Wesco’s stock.

Wesco is run by Charles T. Munger, who is also the vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Munger also consults with Buffett on Wesco’s investment decisions, major capital allocations and the selection of chief executives to head each of its operating businesses.

Though different in size, Berkshire and Wesco are similar in terms of business operations. Wesco is also a conglomerate housing businesses such as insurance, furniture rental and industrial products. Its Insurance segment consists of the operations of Wesco Financial Insurance Co. and Kansas Bankers Surety Co. The Furniture Rental segment consists of the operations of CORT Business Services Corp. The Industrial segment comprises Precision Steel’s service center and industrial supply operations.

Wesco also holds shares in some of the same companies as Berkshire, including Coca-Cola (KO), Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT), Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) and Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC).

Wesco continues to have a strong consolidated balance sheet, with high liquidity and relatively low debt with equity investments in strong, well-known companies. Wesco reported a 1.8% year over year increase in 2009 revenues to reach $813.3 million.

Buffett intends to convert Wesco into a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire, utilize approximately $28 billion of cash from Berkshire and simplify operations. Besides, Munger is already 86 and would not carry on with the role of its chairman for long. Moreover, with 80% of interest and a lot of involvement with Wesco, it just makes good business sense to own it completely.
 
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