Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Nasdaq: SHEN) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the equity interests in Horizon Acquisition Parent LLC for $385 million. Consideration will consist of $305 million in cash and $80 million of Shentel common stock.
Horizon is a leading commercial fiber provider in Ohio and adjacent states serving national wireless providers, carriers, enterprises, and government, education and healthcare customers. Horizon’s unique 7,200 route-mile fiber network is the largest and most dense network across its footprint with over 9,000 on-net locations. Approximately 64% of Horizon’s revenues are derived from their commercial customers. Based in Chillicothe, Ohio, Horizon was founded in 1895 as the incumbent local exchange carrier (“ILEC”) in Ross County, Ohio and rapidly expanded its fiber network over the past 14 years. Most recently, Horizon has pursued a strategy of investing in Fiber-to-the-Home (“FTTH”) in tier 3 & 4 markets in Ohio and currently passes 14,000 homes and businesses with fiber in its ILEC market and 18,000 homes in new, greenfield markets adjacent to its commercial fiber network.
“The acquisition of Horizon is a transformative transaction that we believe will allow us to accelerate our Fiber First strategy by doubling the size of our commercial fiber business and creating a new beachhead for our Glo Fiber business. We now expect to pass 150,000 additional homes with fiber in greenfield markets, targeting 600,000 total passings by the end of 2026,” said Shentel’s President and CEO, Christopher E. French. “We are excited to combine Horizon’s robust fiber network and commercial fiber business with our 9,000 route-mile, multi-state fiber network and accelerate our Glo Fiber expansion. Horizon and Shentel share a similar history and a passion for outstanding local customer service while providing state-of-the-art technologies. We believe our teams’ core competencies will complement one another, translating to a stronger combined business.”
Horizon CEO, Jim Capuano, added “We are proud of the success Horizon has experienced in partnership with Novacap and GCM Grosvenor over the past five years building a leading broadband company in Ohio. The transaction with Shentel creates an exciting opportunity for our customers and the communities we serve to continue to receive best-in-quality broadband service and an opportunity for our employees to continue to be integral contributors to a leading super-regional provider.”
