H&E Equipment Services, Inc. and Neff Corporation  announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which H&E Equipment Services (“H&E”) will acquire Neff Corporation (“Neff”). Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, H&E will pay $21.07 in cash per share of Neff common stock, for a total enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion, including approximately $690 million of net debt. The per share merger consideration payable to Neff stockholders is subject to certain downward adjustments, not to exceed $0.44 per share, in the event that H&E incurs certain increased financing costs due to the transaction not being consummated on or prior to January 14, 2018. The transaction is expected to close in the late third quarter or early fourth quarter of 2017, and is subject to customary closing conditions including Hart-Scott-Rodino Act clearance.

John Engquist, H&E’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “This agreement accelerates our stated strategy to expand our footprint across the United States as we seek to penetrate and grow our business in strategic business segments. Further, this transaction will bring together what we believe to be two highly complementary businesses that share a commitment to addressing the increasingly complex equipment needs of our customers. Our broader geographic footprint and enhanced capabilities in strategic markets, coupled with complementary expertise across equipment categories, are expected to help us to achieve our growth goals. We look forward to welcoming Neff’s talented employee base to the H&E family, and to offering more coverage and capabilities to support our combined customer base.”

Graham Hood, Chief Executive Officer of Neff, commented, “We are looking forward to joining an industry leader who shares our core values, including our commitment to providing customers with best-in-class equipment services and solutions. Neff offers H&E a talented, experienced and knowledgeable employee base that we expect will continue to maintain and develop relationships with key customers and contribute to the combined company’s growth. I would like to thank our 1,160 employees across the country, who are the driving force behind our business. Today’s announcement is a testament to the value that they have helped to create for our stakeholders.”