Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim in talks for business swap

Sanofi and Boehringer Ingelheim have entered into exclusive negotiations to swap businesses. The proposed transaction would consist of an exchange of Sanofi animal health business (Merial) with an enterprise value of Euro 11.4 billion and Boehringer Ingelheim consumer healthcare (CHC) business with an enterprise value of Euro 6.7 billion. Boehringer Ingelheim CHC business in China would be excluded from the transaction. The transaction would also include a gross cash payment from Boehringer Ingelheim to Sanofi of Euro 4.7 billion.
 
The transaction has the potential to make Sanofi a global leader in consumer healthcare market with expected pro forma sales of approximately Euro 5.1 billion in 2015 and a global market share close to 4.6 percent. Sales of Boehringer Ingelheim CHC business (excluding China) are estimated at about Euro 1.6 billion for 2015 and are highly complementary with those of Sanofi CHC, both in terms of products and geographies.
   
Boehringer Ingelheim CHC would improve the position of Sanofi in Germany and Japan where Sanofi CHC presence is limited, and expand Sanofi presence in its priority categories. Sanofi would gain access to iconic brands in antispasmodics, gastrointestinal, VMS and analgesics, and attain critical mass in cough & cold. Sanofi CHC business in the US, Europe, Latin America and Eurasia would also expand significantly, giving it multiple leadership postions in key countries and/or on key product categories.
 
The animal health industry is a very attractive industry in terms of innovation, growth potential and profitability. Combining Merial’s and Boehringer Ingelheim’s complementary strengths would create the second largest player in the global animal health market with pro forma sales of approximately Euro 3.8 billion in 2015. The combined portfolios and technology platforms in anti-parasitics, vaccines and pharmaceutical specialities would place the combined company in the key growth segments of the industry. The species portfolios are highly complementary building on Merial's expertise in companion animals and poultry and BI's expertise in swine.