Thoma Bravo, a private equity investment firm focused on the software and technology-enabled services sector, has agreed to acquire Proofpoint Inc., a cybersecurity and compliance company, in an all-cash transaction that values the company at approximately $12.3 billion.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the strength of Proofpoint’s people-centric approach to cybersecurity and compliance and underscores our important role preventing, defending and responding to today’s threats,” said Gary Steele, chairman and CEO of Proofpoint. “We have made tremendous strides in expanding the sophistication and scale of our offerings, and in 2020 we generated more than $1 billion in annual revenue – making Proofpoint the first SaaS-based cybersecurity and compliance company to reach that milestone. We believe that as a private company, we can be even more agile with greater flexibility to continue investing in innovation, building on our leadership position and staying ahead of threat actors. Thoma Bravo is an experienced software investor, providing capital and strategic support to technology organizations, and our partnership will accelerate Proofpoint’s growth and scale at an even faster pace..”
“Proofpoint has achieved tremendous outcomes for customers around the world, and we’re excited to partner with this talented team at a moment when organizations need innovative solutions to navigate an increasingly treacherous cybersecurity environment,” said Seth Boro, a managing partner at Thoma Bravo. “Proofpoint places people at the center of its compliance and security strategy and plays a vital role in helping enterprises protect their data. Thoma Bravo’s approach to value creation is rooted in partnering with the organization in which we invest and looking for opportunities to both enhance their existing operations and build technology platforms that drive significant growth.”
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Proofpoint, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as its legal counsel. Financing for the transaction is being provided by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is also serving as financial advisor to Thoma Bravo, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as its legal counsel.