Citrix to Acquire Project Management Platform Wrike

Citrix Systems has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Wrike, a player in the SaaS collaborative work management space, for $2.25 billion in cash. Citrix also reported earnings for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and has posted additional materials, including an earnings letter and investor presentation, on its Investor Relations website.

The combination will bring together Citrix’s digital work platform, which securely delivers the resources an employee needs to be productive in one unified experience, and Wrike’s work management solution, which streamlines collaboration and work execution, providing employees with additional tools to work efficiently and securely wherever they may be. The addition of Wrike’s cloud-delivered capabilities will accelerate Citrix’s business model transition to the cloud and strategy to become a complete SaaS-based work platform addressing the needs of various functional groups within the enterprise.

The combined company will offer customers an enhanced value proposition through complementary solutions, unlocking new revenue opportunities both within existing installed customer bases and new lines of business buying centers, including marketing, professional services, and HR. Together, Citrix and Wrike will serve over 400,000 customers across 140 countries. In addition, upon closing, Wrike will gain access to Citrix’s robust ecosystem of partners, creating new opportunities within the ecosystem to drive additional value for customers.

“Work today is happening everywhere – at home, in the office and on the road. We believe that in the future, success will go to those companies that can support flexible and hybrid work models and provide a consistent, secure and efficient experience that removes the complexity and noise from work so employees can focus and perform at their best, wherever they happen to be,” said David Henshall, President and CEO, Citrix. “Together, Citrix and Wrike will deliver the solutions needed to power a cloud-delivered digital workspace experience that enables teams to securely access the resources and tools they need to collaborate and get work done in the most efficient and effective way possible across any channel, device or location.”

Citrix expects to fund the transaction with a combination of new debt and existing cash and investments. Citrix is committed to its investment grade credit ratings and plans to return to historical leverage levels within 24 months. Citrix has obtained a commitment from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. for a $1.45 billion senior unsecured 364-day bridge loan facility.

The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both Citrix and Wrike, is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Until close, the companies will continue to operate independently. Upon closing, Filev will continue to lead the Wrike team and report to Arlen Shenkman, EVP and Chief Financial Officer, Citrix.