Emerson says National Instruments resisted ‘engaging meaningfully’ on offer

The company said, "Emerson’s first outreach to NI regarding a potential all-cash acquisition was on May 16, 2022, and Emerson’s initial $48 per share proposal was formalized in a letter on May 25, 2022. For eight months, NI delayed and refused to engage meaningfully with Emerson. In addition, after receiving the initial May 25, 2022 proposal from Emerson, NI not only refused to engage with Emerson – it repurchased more than 2 million shares at an average weighted price of $40.25, the largest quarterly repurchase in its history on a dollar basis, depriving its shareholders of the opportunity to realize immediate cash value through the transaction price, which is significantly above the repurchase price. In a November 3, 2022 letter, Emerson outlined the terms of an improved all-cash proposal of $53 per share and highlighted its numerous attempts to engage with NI to that date. On November 15, 2022, NI responded to Emerson, indicating that it had created a working group of its Board to examine Emerson’s proposal in greater detail, as well as evaluate options with the assistance of advisors. In the more than two months since, NI continued to resist engaging meaningfully with Emerson to work toward an agreement. Eight months after Emerson’s approach, NI agreed to a January 4, 2023 meeting with representatives from Emerson, which was followed by one additional conference call. During these discussions, NI shared very limited, high-level information about its business and continued to demonstrate its unwillingness to provide more detailed information, including refusing to respond to key diligence questions provided ahead of the meeting. NI then informed Emerson that this would be the extent of its engagement. In a letter dated January 11, 2023, Emerson reiterated its $53 per share proposal to acquire NI."