FiberCop Acquisition, Valuation, Funding & Investors

FiberCop was acquired by KKR, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CPP Investments, F2i Fondi Italiani per le Infrastrutture and Government of Italy for $21B in November 2023, a 4.6x multiple on $4.5B of revenue.

FiberCop acquisition price

$21B

Acquired by KKR, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority +3 · Nov 2023

FiberCop revenue at acquisition

$4.5B

Last twelve months · Nov 2023

FiberCop revenue multiple at acquisition

4.6x

EV/Revenue · Nov 2023

FiberCop EBITDA multiple at acquisition

9.4x

EV/EBITDA · Nov 2023

FiberCop Overview

About FiberCop

FiberCop is an Italian wholesale operator based in Milan that builds and manages passive fiber-optic infrastructure for ultrafast broadband across Italy. It deploys GPON networks reaching 3.7 million real estate units in 271 municipalities. The company wholesales dark fiber and lit services to retail ISPs like Vodafone and Fastweb. Launched in 2021 following a TIM spin-off, FiberCop supports Italy's National Recovery Plan for gigabit connectivity.


Founded

2021

HQ

ItalyMilan

Status

Acquired

Customer focus

B2B

Revenue model

Usage-based

Revenue

$4.5B (Nov 2023)

Valuation

$9.3B (Apr 2021)

FiberCop Acquisition

FiberCop was acquired by KKR, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CPP Investments, F2i Fondi Italiani per le Infrastrutture and Government of Italy for $21B on 6 November 2023.

The acquisition price implies a 4.6x revenue and 9.4x EBITDA multiple on $4.5B of revenue.

Before the acquisition FiberCop had raised $2.2B across 1 funding round.

FiberCop operates Italy's fixed-line wholesale network infrastructure, including copper and fibre assets spun off from Telecom Italia (TIM), focusing on FTTH rollout with 20.2 million covered housing units by end-2024. In November 2023 TIM's board approved KKR's binding offer for NetCo, TIM's fixed network, at an enterprise value of EUR 18.8 billion excluding Sparkle, which could rise to as much as EUR 22 billion through earn-outs linked to certain conditions. A consortium led by KKR completed the acquisition of FiberCop's assets, including TIM's fixed network, in July 2024, with KKR holding about 37.8-38%, alongside CPP Investments (17.5%), ADIA (17.5%), the Italian MEF (16%) and F2i (11-11.2%). Total equity invested reached around EUR 10 billion, making it Europe's largest infrastructure investment that year. Post-closing net debt stood at EUR 9.2 billion with liquidity covering maturities to 2028. For FY 2024 pro forma, FiberCop reported revenues of EUR 3.9 billion and organic EBITDAaL of EUR 1.9 billion, in line with budget. Value creation initiatives, including early retirement, copper decommissioning, real estate and IT efficiencies, target over EUR 100 million of run-rate EBITDA impact. FTTH coverage reached 11.6 million units by September 2024, with recurring ARPU of EUR 13.8 on 14.7 million lines.

FiberCop acquisition details
AcquirerDateTypePriceEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
  • KKR
  • Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
  • CPP Investments
  • F2i Fondi Italiani per le Infrastrutture
  • Government of Italy
6 Nov 2023PE buyout$21B4.6x9.4x

Sources: gruppotim.it, cppinvestments.com, mef.gov.it, fibercop.com, gruppotim.it, telecomtv.com

FiberCop Valuation

FiberCop is currently valued at $9.3B, based on its undisclosed-stage round in April 2021. Read the announcement ↗

The $2.2B round included KKR and Fastweb.

FiberCop valuation by funding round

FiberCop valuation by funding round
DateStageValuation
Apr 2021Undisclosed stage$9.3B

FiberCop Funding History

FiberCop has raised a total of $2.2B across 1 funding round, plus 1 secondary share sale.

FiberCop funding rounds

FiberCop funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsRaisedValuationDeal Summary
Jun 2024SecondaryKKR--Fastweb announced in June 2024 that it had agreed to sell its entire 4.5% interest in FiberCop to Optics Bidco, a company controlled by KKR. The agreed cash consideration was €438.7 million, which Fastweb said was consistent with the proportional price KKR paid TIM for its holding. Completion depended on the closing of KKR’s wider NetCo transaction, then expected in the third quarter of 2024. Fastweb had held its FiberCop investment since the network company’s formation in 2021 alongside TIM and KKR. The seller said the disposal would not change its existing wholesale agreement with FiberCop. Fastweb also stated that it would continue investing in its own end-to-end fiber infrastructure and supplying wholesale services to other operators. This transaction concerns an existing minority shareholding and is distinct from the separately agreed acquisition of TIM’s NetCo business by the KKR-led consortium.
Apr 2021Undisclosed stageKKR; Fastweb$2.2B$9.3BTIM, KKR Infrastructure and Fastweb finalised on 31 March 2021 the agreements under which KKR Infrastructure acquired 37.5% of FiberCop from TIM for EUR 1.8 billion, based on an enterprise value of about EUR 7.7 billion and an equity value of EUR 4.7 billion, and Fastweb contributed its 20% stake in the FlashFiber joint venture in exchange for 4.5%, leaving TIM with 57.5%; FiberCop became fully operational on 1 April 2021. The transaction had been announced on 31 August 2020 and cleared by the European Commission in March 2021. FiberCop, headquartered in Rome, owns and operates TIM's secondary access network from street cabinets to customers' premises together with the fibre network built by FlashFiber, offering ultra-broadband FTTC and FTTH connections to more than 90% of the Italian population under an open co-investment model available to all operators. The company planned to reach 76% of properties in Italy's grey and black areas with FTTH by 2025 and expected EBITDA of about EUR 0.9 billion in its first full year. In 2024 KKR and co-investors acquired the whole of TIM's fixed network (NetCo), which was merged into FiberCop.

Who has invested in FiberCop?

2 investors have backed FiberCop across its funding rounds, including KKR and Fastweb.


FiberCop Investors

Investors in FiberCop by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check

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FiberCop Competitors

FiberCop competitors include listed companies like China Tower, SBA Communications, Cellnex and Yangtze Optical Fibre, and private ones like FirstEnergy Transmission and ICEYE.

Public and private companies comparable to FiberCop
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
China TowerChinaChinaPublicly listed$15B$9.9B$20B1.4x
SBA CommunicationsUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$2.8B$1.9B$20B12.2x
CellnexSpainSpainPublicly listed$4.6B$3.3B$20B9.5x
Yangtze Optical FibreChinaChinaPublicly listed$2.1B$249M$19B5.0x
FirstEnergy TransmissionUnited StatesAkron, OHPrivate$1.9B-$12B6.3x
ICEYEFinlandEspooPrivate$289M$115M$12B40.3x

FiberCop Public Comps

FiberCop is no longer listed, but its public comps include China Tower, SBA Communications, Cellnex, Yangtze Optical Fibre, HENGTONG Group, MasTec, BT Group, Indus Towers, KT and Ericsson.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
China Tower$15B$9.9B1.3x1.4x2.0x2.3x
SBA Communications$2.8B$1.9B12.3x12.2x17.9x18.0x
Cellnex$4.6B$3.3B9.5x9.5x13.4x11.3x
Yangtze Optical Fibre$2.1B$249M9.1x5.0x78.3x13.1x
HENGTONG Group$10B$730M1.6x1.3x22.3x9.5x
MasTec$14B$1.1B1.3x1.0x16.5x12.1x
BT Group$26B$9.9B2.2x2.3x5.8x5.3x
Indus Towers$3.5B$2B3.5x3.4x6.1x6.2x

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Common questions about FiberCop

When was FiberCop founded?FiberCop was founded in 2021.
Where is FiberCop headquartered?FiberCop is headquartered in Milan, Italy.
Is FiberCop publicly listed?No, FiberCop was acquired by KKR, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CPP Investments and 2 other investors in November 2023.
Who acquired FiberCop?FiberCop was acquired by KKR, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, CPP Investments, F2i Fondi Italiani per le Infrastrutture and Government of Italy in November 2023.
How much was FiberCop acquired for?FiberCop was acquired for $21B in November 2023, a 4.6x revenue multiple.
What is FiberCop's valuation?FiberCop was last valued at $9.3B in its undisclosed-stage round in April 2021.
How much funding has FiberCop raised?FiberCop has raised $2.2B across 1 funding round.
What was FiberCop's last funding round?FiberCop's last funding round was a $2.2B undisclosed-stage round in April 2021.
Who are FiberCop's investors?FiberCop's investors include KKR and Fastweb.
Which companies are comparable to FiberCop?Companies comparable to FiberCop include China Tower, SBA Communications, Cellnex, Yangtze Optical Fibre, FirstEnergy Transmission and ICEYE.

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