Advanced Auto Parts shares jump as Carlyle agrees to buy its Worldpac unit

Carlyle Group (NASDAQ:CG ) Inc. is acquiring Worldpac, a unit of Advance Auto Parts (NYSE:AAP ) for $1.5 billion, the companies announced Thursday.

AAP shares jumped 5% in premarket trading.

Advance Auto Parts has faced pressure from shareholder activists to sell Worldpac in order to boost compensation and better compete with AutoZone Inc. and O’Reilly Automotive Inc. In November, Advance Auto Parts announced its intention to sell Worldpac, along with its Canadian business under the Carquest brand.

Worldpac, a distributor of original equipment replacement parts, is poised to benefit from the deal as vehicles become more complex and as older cars continue to accumulate mileage.

“We are pleased to announce the sale of the Worldpac business,” said Shane O’Kelly, president and CEO.

"Proceeds from the transaction will provide greater financial flexibility as we continue our strategic and operational review to improve the productivity of the company’s remaining assets and better position the company for future growth and value creation.

Worldpac generated approximately $2.1 billion in revenue for the 12 months ending June 30, according to a statement reviewed by Bloomberg News.

The acquisition, first reported by Bloomberg News, marks Carlyle's first significant industrial investment in over two years.

Over the past two decades, Carlyle has invested around $13 billion in industrial carve-outs, including companies like Nouryon, Axalta, Atotech, Signode, and Allison Transmission. One of Carlyle’s most recent transactions in the sector was its 2022 investment in Duravant, a food processing and packaging equipment maker.

Last week, Carlyle also announced a $3.8 billion deal to acquire Baxter International Inc.’s kidney care business.

Advance Auto Parts' stock has struggled in 2024, adding just 1.5% since the start of the year. The shares have dropped 28% since March 21, leaving the Raleigh, North Carolina-based company with a market value of roughly $3.7 billion.

Source: Investing.com