The deal follows within the footsteps of Plug Power's $600 million modify Amazon 3 months agone. Amazon was given stock warrants tied to money payments in this agreement, giving Amazon a doubtless massive stake within the Latham electric cell maker.
The Walmart deal is sort of identical, except that the initial warrants provided got a better exercise worth of $2.12 per share compared to the $1.18 per share exercise worth given to Amazon. The distinction is thanks to the actual fact that Plug Power's shares have up regarding $1 per share since April once the Amazon deal was signed.
Under the deal, Plug Power ought to add ten new Walmart distribution sites to its GenDrive electric cell fleet, which is able to equate to $80 million in more revenue. Plug Power's total revenue for 2016 was $85.9 million. cyber web loss for the year was $57 million.
Plug Power makes hydrogen-power fuel cells that area unit employed in forklifts. The fuel cells replace or augment batteries that area unit historically employed in indoor warehouses for retailers like Walmart et al.
Plug Power conjointly sells fuel and onsite provision stations that keep its fuel cells running.
Although Plug Power has not nonetheless become profitable, the Amazon and Walmart deals area unit expected to drive revenue and income for years whereas giving the corporate 2 massive and revered shareholders with a long-run interest within the company's success.
Plug Power says that as within the Amazon deal, it plans to collaborate with Walmart on technology development, though Plug Power corporate executive Andy Marsh has repeatedly declined to clarify the precise nature of that collaboration, citing confidentiality agreements.
However, Marsh did say in an exceedingly telephone call with stock analysts that Plug Power will learn lots from Walmart, like Amazon a pioneer in marketing innovation.
"When I look out my window in my workplace, I see a FedEx van, van driving round the automobile parking space. and that is terribly kind of like product we'll supply to Walmart likewise on others. And you recognize, we have a tendency to believe that the simplest learning comes from operating with real customers delivering real product, as we've through with Walmart within the past," Marsh same.