GE to acquire Lufkin Industries to expand oil and gas business

General Electric Co. has agreed to acquire Lufkin Industries Inc. for more than $3 billion as the mega-firm looks to grow its expanding oil and gas business.

The $88.50-a-share offer from GE represents a 38.4% premium over Lufkin’s Friday $63.93 closing price. The deal for Lufkin, which employs 4,500 people in more than 40 countries, expands GE’s artificial-lift capabilities to a larger variety of well types.

GE Oil & Gas President Daniel C. Heintzelman said the acquisition beefs up his company’s offerings in a segment that “is at the heart of critical changes” that are transforming the oil and gas industry, allowing producers to maximize the potential of wells.

“Lufkin’s world-class people, equipment and services fit perfectly in our portfolio and will enable us to offer a wide range of artificial lift solutions to our customers in this fast-growing artificial lift sector,” Heintzelman said in a statement.

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Strong demand for Lufkin’s artificial-lift products helped boost revenue 27% to $355.7 million in the fourth quarter last year, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Monday’s announcement was just the latest move for GE Oil & Gas, which has spent $11 billion on acquisitions since 2007. GE’s oil and gas segment saw revenues increase $1.6 billion to $15.2 billion last year.

The Lufkin deal is expected to close during the second half of the year.

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