Warburg Pincus buying Rural/Metro for $438.2 million

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*Warburg Pincus buying Rural/Metro for $438.2M*

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.

Private equity firm Warburg Pincus is buying ambulance and fire protection

services provider Rural/Metro Corp. for about $438.2 million.

Rural/Metro stockholders will receive $17.25 per share in cash, which is a

37 percent premium over the company's Friday closing stock price of $12.55.

Rural/Metro has approximately 25.4 million outstanding shares, according to

Thomson Reuters.

Its stock jumped $4.66, or 37 percent, to $17.21 in premarket trading.

Rural/Metro's board unanimously approved the deal, which will take the

company private.

The acquisition, which still needs shareholder approval, is expected to

close by the end of June