Exclusive-Francisco Partners to buy Jamf in take-private deal, sources say

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By Milana Vinn

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Private equity firm Francisco Partners is close to a deal to buy device management software provider Jamf, two people familiar with the matter said, taking the company private a little more than five years after its market debut.

Vista Equity Partners, which owns 34% of Jamf, is expected to exit its position as part of the transaction, the sources said, asking not to be identified since the deal is confidential. The deal is expected to receive final approval on Tuesday and could be announced as early as Wednesday, one of the sources added.

Jamf, Francisco Partners and Vista Equity did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The sources did not give details on the terms of the deal. Jamf had a market capitalization of approximately $1.5 billion as of Tuesday’s close.

Reuters first reported in September that the company was exploring a sale.

Vista Equity acquired majority ownership of Jamf in 2017. It exited part of its position with the company’s initial public offering and has completed three secondary stock sales and one private block sale, generating close to $1.3 billion in gross proceeds, according to public filings.

The deal would end a tough run for Jamf shareholders. The company’s stock has plunged 65% since its July 2020 IPO and is down roughly 32% over the past 12 months.

Minneapolis-based Jamf provides device management and security solutions that enable IT teams to remotely manage Apple devices including MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones at scale.

Despite posting 15% year-over-year revenue growth to $175.5 million in the second quarter and raising guidance for the year, Jamf has struggled to achieve profitability. 

(Reporting by Milana Vinn in New York; Editing by Dawn Kopecki and Edmund Klamann)