Baker Hughes All-Stock Offer and $210 Cash Proposal Surface for Chart Industries
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
Chart Industries disclosed that it received multiple acquisition approaches and has mailed a definitive proxy statement for a special meeting on October 6, 2025, relating to a previously announced merger. The company describes a preliminary, non-binding all-stock proposal from Baker Hughes offering 5.241 shares of Baker Hughes common stock for each Chart share (implying Chart stockholders would own ~20% of the combined company) and an unsolicited all-cash proposal at $210 per Chart share. The $210 cash proposal implied an equity value of $10.1 billion and a total enterprise value of $13.6 billion, representing a 30% premium over Chart’s unaffected share price before the Flowserve Agreement announcement.
The filing notes that Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo advised the board, targeted outreach to potential strategic partners occurred, and management provided financial projections used by advisors that relied on an estimated 48,173,000 fully diluted share count. Chart states it denies allegations in demand letters and litigation and made supplemental disclosures without admitting materiality. The proposals differed on treatment of management and contingencies such as due diligence, financing and reimbursement of certain termination fees.
Positive
- $210 per share unsolicited cash proposal implies an equity value of $10.1 billion and 30% premium to unaffected price
- Board authorized targeted outreach and engaged financial advisors (Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo), indicating a structured process
- All-stock proposal offers a clear exchange ratio (5.241) and quantified ownership (~20%) in the combined company
Negative
- Filing notes demand letters and lawsuits and supplemental disclosures while denying materiality, indicating legal contention
- Proposals did not address post-closing treatment of Chart management, leaving key retention and integration terms unresolved
- All offers are contingent on due diligence and financing; therefore deal certainty and timing remain uncertain
Insights
TL;DR: Multiple competing proposals, including a $210 cash bid and an all-stock offer, create a materially actionable sale process and potential value uplift for shareholders.
The filing documents both an all-stock preliminary Baker Hughes offer (5.241 exchange ratio) and a subsequent unsolicited $210 per share all-cash proposal that implies a meaningful premium and multi-billion dollar valuation for Chart. Those figures, combined with targeted outreach and advisor involvement, indicate an active sale process with credible financing references and termination-fee reimbursement provisions, which materially increase the likelihood of a negotiated transaction or competitive auction. The lack of clarity on post-closing management treatment and contingencies (due diligence, financing) are standard deal risks that could affect deal certainty and timing.
TL;DR: Board engaged advisors and performed outreach, but supplemental disclosures and pending litigation raise disclosure and process scrutiny.
The board authorized confidential outreach and retained advisors; it also disclosed supplemental information while denying legal admissions. That combination shows the board is balancing disclosure with defense against demands, but pending demand letters and lawsuits plus supplemental disclosures may prompt shareholder scrutiny over whether the board fulfilled fiduciary duties during negotiations. The filing documents procedural steps but leaves unanswered specifics on director-level conflicts and detailed management retention arrangements, which are relevant to governance assessments.