Pictured: Jeff Gravenhorst (CEO ISS) and Nick Buckles (CEO G4S)

G4S plc, the international security solutions group, today announces the acquisition of ISS A/S for an enterprise value of approximately £5.2 billion. G4S also announces a 7 for 6 rights issue at 122p to raise approximately £2 billion.

The Acquisition has a compelling strategic and financial rationale and will:·   Create a global leader in integrated security and facilities services combining G4S's 2010 revenue of £7,397 million and ISS's 2010 revenue of £8,522 million

·    Accelerate delivery of G4S's strategy to provide integrated facilities services ("IFS")

·    Provide significant growth opportunities and an estimated £100 million of annual pre-tax cost savings by 2014

·    Lead to an investment of £20 million per year by 2014 in creating service excellence centres to share best practice across the enlarged group

·    Be a financially compelling transaction expected to deliver, within three years:

·    double digit post-tax ROIC

·    double digit EPS accretion

·    no PBITA margin dilution

·    Be funded in a manner to allow G4S to retain a BBB (or equivalent) credit rating

The combination of G4S and ISS creates the world's largest integrated security and facilities services company, by revenue, profit, countries of operation and number of employees.

Commenting on the Acquisition, G4S's CEO, Nick Buckles said:

"We are excited to announce the acquisition of ISS to create the world's largest integrated security and facilities services group.  Since G4S was created in 2004, we have grown our business significantly and have expanded our service offering beyond our traditional security heritage into much broader areas of facilities services and outsourcing to meet growing customer needs.  We believe this acquisition will transform our business, significantly accelerate the delivery of our solutions strategy and create substantial value for shareholders.

G4S and ISS have very similar cultures and strategic ambitions as well as a strong, shared vision for providing service excellence to customers across the security and facilities services spectrum. The acquisition will also provide significant opportunities for staff at all levels to develop and broaden their skills into complementary areas, as part of a team of more than 1 million G4S employees."

Chairman of G4S, Alf Duch-Pedersen added:

"This acquisition brings together two high quality companies and management teams with a very strong business performance and integration track record.  We have a compelling strategy, significant experience in meeting a wide range of customer needs and in motivating a large and diverse workforce to deliver excellent service to our customers. 

I am delighted that ISS's CEO, Jeff Gravenhorst, will be joining the G4S Board and I look forward to welcoming him and the ISS management and employees into the group."