Acquisition offers have been made for New Zealand-founded church contributions management software company Pushpay (ASX/NZX: PPH).
In a 26 April announcement, Pushpay said it had received “unsolicited, non-binding and conditional expressions of interest or approaches” from third parties looking to acquire the company.
Private equity firms and large payments companies are likely to be behind the approaches which followed the company’s share price reducing by almost half over the prior six months.
The announcement sent the share price up almost 23% from 96 cents to $1.18 but some of those gains were lost in early trading on 27 April.
Pushpay lowered its forecast for underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation, foreign currency gains or losses and impairments (EBITDAFI) by about $US5 million to $US60-$US65 million in its half-year results in November.
In the 26 April announcement Pushpay repeated guidance issued in March for underlying EBITDAFI for the full year to 31 March of $US63.5-$US65.5 million. These figures exclude costs associated with a push to expand the company’s services into the Catholic faith sector. The company is due to announce its full-year results on 11 May.
Pushpay has appointed Goldman Sachs to advise on the acquisition approaches.
Last year, Pushpay acquired US churches streaming services provider Resi Media LLC for $US150 million in cash and Pushpay shares.
Image: The Hillsong Church uses Pushpay’s technology to boost its members' contributions.