Cyxtera, a data center colocation, interconnection services and digital infrastructure company, entered into an asset purchase agreement under which Brookfield Infrastructure Partners and its institutional partners will acquire substantially all of Cyxtera’s assets for $775 million.
In connection with the APA and the court supervised process, Brookfield will purchase from several landlords the real estate at which seven of Cyxtera’s U.S. data centers are located. These transactions will allow Cyxtera to increase existing facility ownership, secure expansion opportunities in support of robust customer demand and strengthen its data center platform by giving Cyxtera more control over its cost structure.
“We are pleased to reach this agreement with Brookfield, which represents a favorable path forward for our customers, partners, and employees,” Nelson Fonseca, CEO of Cyxtera, said. “Throughout our restructuring process, our business has continued to perform well, a testament to our customers’ confidence in our team and our innovative data center platform. This agreement and the changes to the data center portfolio, most importantly our increased facility ownership, will enable us to build on our business momentum and better position Cyxtera for the future.”
Among the transactions made in connection with the APA is a comprehensive agreement with Digital Realty Trust and Digital Core REIT for Brookfield to acquire the real estate supporting several of Cyxtera’s U.S. data centers.
Separately, Cyxtera has entered into an agreement with its landlord, Digital Realty, to amend the terms of its current leases at three U.S. sites and three international sites, to allow Cyxtera to exit those sites in 2024 while providing a seamless transition for customers.
Lastly, Cyxtera has signed an agreement to sell its business in its Montreal and Vancouver data centers to Cologix.
“With Brookfield’s deep global infrastructure expertise, experienced team, and demonstrated track record, we will move ahead with a partner that recognizes the strength of our business and will provide the guidance and resources to drive our next phase of growth,” Fonseca said. “We remain firmly committed to making this transition as seamless as possible for all our stakeholders and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers with the innovative services and high levels of support they have come to expect from Cyxtera.”
The full terms of the APA have been filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey. The hearing to approve the Company’s Chapter 11 plan and transaction with Brookfield is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2023. In addition to court approval, the APA is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. The transaction with Brookfield is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024.
Kirkland & Ellis is serving as legal counsel to Cyxtera, Guggenheim Securities is serving as financial advisor and AlixPartners is serving as restructuring advisor. Moelis & Co. is serving as exclusive financial advisor to Brookfield on the acquisition of Cyxtera. Wells Fargo and TD Securities are serving as joint financial advisors to Brookfield on the acquisition of the real estate underlying seven Cyxtera data centers and the pro forma combined entity, and are providing committed debt financing for the broader transaction. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison is serving as Brookfield’s legal counsel.
