Houlihan Lokey Advises Ghost Robotics

Transaction: Ghost Robotics - LIG Nex1 - Korea Investment Private Equity

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Ghost Robotics Corporation has sold a majority stake to LIG Nex1 Co. and Korea Investment Private Equity (KIPE) at an enterprise value of $400 million. The transaction closed on July 26, 2024.

Ghost Robotics is a leading provider of technology-enabled robotic solutions for defense, security, and industrial technology applications worldwide. The company’s quadruped (four-legged) robots, including its flagship Vision 60 platform, operate with agility and autonomy, offering automated persistent and ad hoc remote sensing and manipulation capabilities. These robots are operationally proven and capable of navigating in urban and natural environments, traversing all types of terrain, including sand, snow, rocks, hills, and stairs. The company supports multiple branches of the U.S. DoD, international governments, law enforcement agencies, and Fortune 500 companies, among others.

LIG Nex1 is a Korea-based defense technology company engaged in the research, development, and production of cutting-edge defense systems. LIG Nex1 specializes in precision-guided munitions, surveillance and reconnaissance, communications, avionics, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, and other related fields of technology that support the warfighter on the battlefield.

KIPE is an independent private equity firm wholly owned by Korea Investment Holdings. Since its establishment in 2010, KIPE has achieved rapid growth by focusing its investments on the industrials market. KIPE’s investment approach encompasses growth capital, mezzanine financing, special situations, and secondary markets. The firm has more than $2.5 billion under management and 33 active investments.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive financial advisor to Ghost Robotics and assisted in structuring and negotiating the transaction on its behalf. This transaction underscores the firm’s continued global leadership and experience in the unmanned systems market.

Since 2020, Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace, Defense & Government practice has closed more than 70 transactions worth over $12 billion in enterprise value. With a staff of approximately 20 financial professionals, Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace, Defense & Government practice is among the largest dedicated industry banking teams worldwide.

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