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Zinnia Closes Acquisition of Ebix’s North American Life and Annuity Assets

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Zinnia Corporate Holdings, an insurance technology services company, has successfully acquired Ebix's North American Life and Annuity Assets, expanding its offerings in the life and annuity industry. The acquisition includes various software solutions and services, positioning Zinnia as a key player in the insurance sector.
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Insights

The acquisition of Ebix's North American Life and Annuity Assets by Zinnia Corporate Holdings signifies a strategic expansion in the life and annuity insurance technology services sector. This move is likely to enhance Zinnia's market position by broadening its service offerings, which now include a suite of tools for customer relationship management, agency management and underwriting. The addition of over 770 new team members suggests a significant increase in operational capacity, potentially leading to improved service delivery and innovation.

From a market perspective, this acquisition could be seen as a consolidation within the industry, which may lead to increased competitive advantage for Zinnia. The uninterrupted global operations post-acquisition ensure customer and partner stability, which is critical in maintaining market confidence. Furthermore, the integration of these assets into Zinnia's operations could result in cost synergies and operational efficiencies in the long run, potentially improving profitability and shareholder value.

Financially, the closure of this transaction may have several implications for Zinnia's balance sheet and income statement. The influx of the L&A Assets should be examined in terms of return on investment and how it affects Zinnia's earnings. The acquisition's financing, facilitated by RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc., may have leveraged Zinnia's capital structure, which investors should monitor for debt serviceability and interest coverage ratios.

Investors should also consider the acquisition's impact on Zinnia's cash flows, particularly in terms of the initial outlay and the expected incremental cash flows from the new business line. The performance of the newly formed Life and Annuity Exchange Solutions will be important in determining the success of the acquisition. It is essential to track how this expansion aligns with Zinnia's overall growth strategy and whether it can deliver the anticipated synergies.

The acquisition's focus on technology-driven solutions for the life and annuity sector highlights the ongoing digital transformation within the insurance industry. By integrating advanced tools like CRM, quoting and illustration platforms, Zinnia is positioning itself to meet the evolving demands of advisors and clients who are increasingly seeking streamlined and efficient services. This could potentially set a new industry standard for customer experience and operational excellence.

Moreover, the cross-border aspect of this deal, with team members and operations spanning India and the United States, reflects the global nature of the insurance market. This geographical diversification may provide Zinnia with a broader talent pool and market access. It is important to observe how Zinnia leverages these international assets to optimize service delivery and tap into emerging markets, which could be a significant growth driver.

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zinnia Corporate Holdings (“Zinnia” or “the Company”), an Eldridge Industries business and leading life and annuity insurance technology services company, and Ebix, Inc. (“Ebix”), a supplier of software solutions, today announced that Zinnia’s acquisition of Ebix’s North American Life and Annuity Assets (the “L&A Assets”) has closed.

The deal further positions Zinnia as a partner of choice in the life and annuity industry and expands its offerings with insurance focused CRM & agency management, market-leading research, quoting, illustration, order entry tools, and a comprehensive underwriting platform, which will simplify experiences for advisors and their clients. Zinnia will be welcoming over 770 new team members across 6 locations in India and the United States.

The L&A assets, including SmartOffice, Vital Sales Suite, Winflex, AnnuityNet, LifeSpeed, TPP (The Policy Processor), as well as products and services provided by the consulting organization will become a newly formed business line within Zinnia called Life and Annuity Exchange Solutions.

Global operations across the L&A Assets will be uninterrupted for customers and partners, providing continuity for the life insurance and annuity ecosystem. The acquisition will further enable Zinnia to better serve carriers, distributors, and consumers as it builds the modern rails of the insurance industry.

Advisors

Milbank LLP served as Zinnia’s legal counsel alongside banking advisors RBC Capital Markets, LLC and Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

C Street Advisory Group, LLC and Prosek Partners served as communications advisors to Zinnia.

Ebix was represented by Sidley Austin LLP as legal counsel, AlixPartners, LLP and Huron Consulting Group served as financial advisors, and Jefferies LLC as its investment banker.

About Zinnia

Zinnia, an Eldridge Industries business, simplifies insurance. Delivering comprehensive solutions for the industry’s most critical needs and creating the modern rails of the insurance industry, Zinnia better enables carriers and advisors to build, sell, and service insurance, ultimately helping more people get the coverage they need and the service they deserve. Zinnia is also backed by funds managed by KKR, a leading global investment firm.

To learn more about Zinnia, please visit https://zinnia.com/.

About Ebix

With approximately 200 offices across 6 continents, Ebix, Inc., (NASDAQ: EBIX) endeavors to provide on-demand infrastructure exchanges to the insurance, financial services, travel and healthcare industries.

With a "Phygital" strategy that combines over 650,000 physical distribution outlets in India and many Southeast Asian Nations ("ASEAN") countries as of December 31, 2021, to an Omni-channel online digital platform, the Company's EbixCash Financial exchange portfolio of software and services encompasses domestic and international money remittance, foreign exchange (Forex), travel, pre-paid gift cards, utility payments, lending and wealth management across 75+ countries including India. EbixCash's Forex operations are carried out primarily through 82 retail branches, 62 retail kiosks in 16 international airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata, 12 seaports, over 250 franchise partners across 69 cities, as well as offered through more than 1200 corporate clients, more than 27 bank clients, and 5-star hotels in India. EbixCash, through its travel portfolio of Via and Mercury, is also one of the leading non-bank travel exchanges based in India and catering to approximately 517,000 agents and approximately 17,900 registered corporate clients as of December 31, 2021. EbixCash's financial technologies business offers software solutions at the enterprise level for banks, asset and wealth management companies and trust companies within India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. EbixCash's business process outsourcing services provide information technology and call center services to a variety of industries.

For more information, visit the Company's website at www.ebix.com

 

Media Contacts

Zinnia:

Prosek Partners

pro-zinnia@prosek.com

Ebix:

Satish Sapru

satish.sapru@Ebix.com or IR@ebix.com

Source: Zinnia Corporate Holdings

FAQ

What did Zinnia Corporate Holdings acquire from Ebix?

Zinnia acquired Ebix's North American Life and Annuity Assets, including software solutions like SmartOffice, Vital Sales Suite, Winflex, AnnuityNet, LifeSpeed, TPP, and consulting services.

How will the acquisition benefit Zinnia?

The acquisition will expand Zinnia's offerings in the life and annuity industry, providing insurance-focused CRM, agency management, research tools, and underwriting platform to simplify experiences for advisors and clients.

Who represented Zinnia and Ebix in the acquisition deal?

Zinnia was represented by Milbank LLP, RBC Capital Markets, , Citigroup Global Markets Inc., C Street Advisory Group, , and Prosek Partners. Ebix was represented by Sidley Austin LLP, AlixPartners, LLP, Huron Consulting Group, and Jefferies

How many new team members will Zinnia welcome as a result of the acquisition?

Zinnia will welcome over 770 new team members across 6 locations in India and the United States.

What will the acquired assets form within Zinnia?

The acquired assets will form a newly formed business line within Zinnia called Life and Annuity Exchange Solutions.

What is the aim of the acquisition for Zinnia?

The acquisition aims to better serve carriers, distributors, and consumers as Zinnia builds the modern rails of the insurance industry.

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