FireEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: FEYE), the intelligence-led security company, announced a $400 million strategic investment led by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities to support the company’s vision to create the industry’s leading intelligence-led cyber security platform and services company. Blackstone will be joined by ClearSky a cyber security-focused investment firm, as a co-investor in the transaction. FireEye intends to use the proceeds to support strategic growth initiatives, including the acquisition of Respond Software announced today, as well as increased investment to accelerate the growth of the company’s cloud, platform and managed services portfolio.
Under the terms of its investment, Blackstone and ClearSky will purchase $400 million in shares of a newly designated 4.5% Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of FireEye (the “Series A Preferred”), with a purchase price of $1,000 per share. The Series A Preferred will be convertible into shares of FireEye’s common stock at a conversion price of $18.00 per share. The investment by Blackstone and ClearSky is subject to customary closing conditions. In conjunction with Blackstone’s investment in FireEye, FireEye will appoint Viral Patel, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, to its Board of Directors upon the closing of the transaction. Additional information regarding the investment and the Series A Preferred will be included in a Form 8-K to be filed by FireEye with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Blackstone and ClearSky have a track record of developing and supporting industry-leading cyber security companies. Their investment validates our vision and provides financial, operational and leadership resources to accelerate our strategy,” said Kevin Mandia, FireEye chief executive officer.
Viral Patel, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “Blackstone and FireEye have a shared vision of the unique role FireEye can play in addressing the increasingly sophisticated cyber security challenges their customers face. Intelligence and expertise are critical in delivering effective cyber security solutions, and FireEye is an industry leader in both. We are excited to partner with the company’s board and management to accelerate execution on their vision.”
About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. Blackstone seeks to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. Blackstone does this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Blackstone’s $584 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
About ClearSky
ClearSky is a venture capital and growth equity firm that has been operating since 2012 with offices across the United States. ClearSky invests in companies that offer transformative security solutions with a specific focus on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure security, privacy, data governance and compliance. The firm’s world-class dedicated security team has a proven track record with decades of security investing and practitioner experience. ClearSky also has a highly distinguished advisory board consisting of diverse business leaders and a Fortune 500 Chief Information Security Officer Board of Advisors that is unmatched in the industry.
About FireEye, Inc.
FireEye is the intelligence-led security company. Working as a seamless, scalable extension of customer security operations, FireEye offers a single platform that blends innovative security technologies, nation-state grade threat intelligence, and world-renowned Mandiant® consulting. With this approach, FireEye eliminates the complexity and burden of cyber security for organizations struggling to prepare for, prevent, and respond to cyber attacks. FireEye has over 9,600 customers across 103 countries, including more than 50 percent of the Forbes Global 2000.