By Senad Karaahmetovic
Shares of Coupa Software (NASDAQ:COUP) are trading 24% higher in pre-open Monday after Bloomberg News reported that private equity firm Thoma Bravo made a better offer than rival Vista Equity Partners.
The discussions are at an advanced stage and the deal could be announced as soon as this week, the report added.
Coupa shares surged nearly 29% on November 23 when Bloomberg News reported Vista Equity is in talks to take the company private. Taking into account the pre-open price, Coupa shares are up nearly 70% since Bloomberg News first reported on the buyout talks.
Some early investors in Coupa Software, including a top shareholder HMI Capital Management, said the company should be valued at $95 per share.
Last month, Needham & Company analysts said that they see a takeout price close to $90 per share. Similarly, Raymond James analysts said the final takeover price could be around $80 per share.
Barclays analysts suggested a maximum takeover price of $82 per share.
"We find an $81 max purchase price, or 9x NTM EV/rev assuming 25% required return and a 29x EBITDA exit multiple (in-line with LTM), and a $66 price with more conservative assumptions of 30% required return and a 4x turn compression on exit. This $66-$81 price range compares with our previously noted $66-78 range based on 7-8x NTM EV/rev, applying a discount to recently Fins software M&A (AVLR at 9x and PLAN at 13x) given the change in rate environment," the analysts wrote in a yesterday's note to clients.
Coupa Software went public in 2016 at $18 a share. Shares hit an all-time high in February 2021 at $377.04 before plunging nearly 90% to $40.30 in November.