Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On October 18, 2021, Blue Owl Capital Inc. (“Blue Owl”) announced its entry into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of October 17, 2021, to acquire Oak Street Real Estate Capital, LLC and its investment advisory business (“Oak Street”). Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Blue Owl will acquire 100% of Oak Street’s management company earnings and 100% of the right to allocate Oak Street’s carried interest earnings on future funds (the “Transaction”) for an aggregate closing purchase price of $950 million (the “Closing Consideration”). Oak Street equityholders will be entitled to receive their respective portions of the Closing Consideration in cash and may generally elect to receive up to approximately 78% of their respective portions of the Closing Consideration in the form of common units in each of Blue Owl Capital Holdings LP and Blue Owl Capital Carry LP (collectively, “Blue Owl Common Units”) and corresponding non-economic, one vote-only shares of Class C Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of Blue Owl (the “Class C Shares”). Up to an aggregate of approximately 39 million Blue Owl Common Units are issuable in satisfaction of the closing purchase price.
The Closing Consideration is subject to adjustment to the extent, among other things, working capital or debt of Oak Street at the closing of the Transaction (the “Closing”) is different than agreed upon targets. In addition, upon the achievement of certain performance thresholds, at future dates Oak Street equityholders will be entitled to earnouts payable in cash or, at their election, up to an aggregate of approximately 39 million Blue Owl Common Units, subject to vesting. Marc Zahr, Co-Founder and CEO of Oak Street, has agreed to receive approximately 25% of his portion of the Closing Consideration payable to Oak Street equityholders in cash and approximately 75% in the form of Blue Owl Common Units and Class C Shares.
The Transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. The cash consideration for the Transaction will be funded through cash on hand of Blue Owl.
The parties to the Merger Agreement have made customary representations, warranties and covenants in the Merger Agreement, which also contains customary termination provisions, closing conditions and indemnities. Mr. Zahr has also executed a support agreement in connection with the Transaction.
The Transaction contemplates, among other things, tax receivable agreement benefits and registration rights for Oak Street equityholders electing to receive Blue Owl Common Units and Blue Owl Class C Shares in lieu of cash.
The Transaction further contemplates that Mr. Zahr will become a member of Blue Owl’s board of directors and executive committee as of the Closing. In addition, Blue Owl and Mr. Zahr have entered into an employment agreement, to become effective at the Closing, pursuant to which Mr. Zahr will be appointed as President of the Oak Street division of Blue Owl. In connection with the foregoing, Mr. Zahr and certain other Oak Street principals will execute restricted covenant agreements.
The foregoing description of the Merger Agreement and the Transaction does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit 2.1 and is incorporated by reference herein.