Houlihan Lokey Advises Stellar Blu Solutions

Transaction: Stellar Blu Solutions - Fortress - Maz Group - Gilat

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce that Stellar Blu Solutions LLC (Stellar Blu), a portfolio company of Fortress Investment Group LLC (Fortress) and Maz Group, has agreed to be acquired by Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (Gilat). The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

Stellar Blu is a leading avionics provider of next-generation SATCOM terminal solutions, offering turn-key inflight connectivity solutions, including terminal development, aircraft integration, and certification and installation packages. The company’s flagship product, SIDEWINDER, is a multi-orbit, multinetwork aero terminal that utilizes an open architecture and fuselage-mounted electronically steered array antenna. The SIDEWINDER has been selected by Intelsat, Panasonic, OneWeb, and others to redefine the in-flight connectivity paradigm for its airline customers with its network-agnostic design, high throughput, minimalist design, and significantly lower total cost of ownership.

Fortress is a leading, highly diversified global investment manager. Founded in 1998 and based in New York City, Fortress manages $48 billion of assets on behalf of approximately 2,000 institutional clients and private investors worldwide across a range of credit and real estate, private equity, and permanent capital investment strategies.

Gilat (NASDAQ:GILT) (TASE:GILT) is a leading global provider of satellite-based broadband communications. With more than 35 years of experience, Gilat creates and delivers deep technology solutions for satellite, ground, and new space connectivity and provides comprehensive, secure end-to-end solutions and services for mission-critical operations. Gilat’s comprehensive offerings support multiple applications with a full portfolio of products and tailored solutions to address key applications, including broadband access, mobility, cellular backhaul, enterprise, defense, aerospace, broadcast, government, and critical infrastructure clients, all while meeting the most stringent service level requirements.

Houlihan Lokey served as the exclusive financial advisor to Stellar Blu and assisted in structuring and negotiating the transaction on its behalf. Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace and Defense practice is a leading M&A advisor, having closed more than 70 transactions worth over $12 billion in enterprise value since 2020. With a staff of approximately 20 investment bankers, Houlihan Lokey’s Aerospace and Defense practice is among the largest dedicated industry banking teams worldwide.

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