Accent Optical Technologies may finally get the capital it needs to grow, thanks to a pending buyout by Silcon Valley-based Nanometrics.
Accent Optical Technologies may finally get the capital it needs to grow, thanks to a pending buyout by Silcon Valley-based Nanometrics. Executives at Accent Optical, which makes manufacturing tools for the semiconductor industry, looked hard at a public offering in 2004 but decided compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations was too costly and eventually backed away. Nanometrics, traded on Nasdaq, had $68 million in revenues last year; Accent had $42 million. Nanometrics has offered Accent shareholders a 27% stake in the new combined company and will assume $10.6 million in Accent debt, for a total deal size of roughly $80.9 million. Bruce Rhine, Accent’s CEO, is slated to become Nanometrics’ chief strategy officer. Nanometrics CEO John Heaton, based in Milpitas, Calif., says the new company will keep Accent’s small Bend office open if the deal is approved by Accent shareholders later this spring.
