이 기사는 2021년 12월 03일 08:09 thebell 에 표출된 기사입니다.

South Korea-based private equity firm ACE Equity Partners has decided to sell a 30% stake in Canadian micro-optical technology company Preciseley Microtechnology Corp, while keeping the other half of its shareholding in the company.

ACE Equity will sell about a 30% stake in Preciseley to Hankook & Company, formerly known as Hankook Tire Group, about half its total 60% stake in the Canadian company, industry sources said on Wednesday.

In this deal, Hankook & Co will buy a 36.71% stake and its subsidiary Hankook Tire & Technology will purchase the remaining 22.86% for a combined 200 billion won ($170 million). A 30% stake owned by ACE Equity and a combined 30% owned by the Preciseley founder and existing investor BDC Capital will be sold, giving Hankook & Co the management rights of Preciseley.

Preciseley is a fabless designer and supplier of a range of micro-electromechanical system products, including electrostatically-actuated mirror devices used for laser beam steering, switching, and manipulation, with diverse applications across optical systems, telecommunications, sensors and other fields.

The Canadian company is currently preparing to go public on the Nasdaq. ACE Equity may intend to leave some of its stake to maximize its gains by selling the remaining shares at a higher price through a possible listing in the future.

Additionally, the parties involved in the deal agreed that, if Preciseley fails to go public within five or seven years of the stake sale, the sellers can exercise put options to force Hankook & Co to purchase the remaining stakes.

ACE Equity acquired about 60% of Preciseley for approximately 200 billion won in early 2020. Considering that Hankook & Co will pay almost the same amount to acquire about a 60% stake, the put options will likely be exercised at a much higher price.

Hankook & C plans to seek new business opportunities and next growth engines, especially in the mobility sector, through the acquisition. (Reporting by Byungkeun Kam)