Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., owner of Calvin Klein, agreed to buy Tommy Hilfiger B.V. for about $3 billion in cash and stock.for total consideration of â¬2.2 billion ($3.0 billion) plus the assumption of â¬100 million ($136.8mm) in liabilities. The consideration includes â¬1.924 billion ($2.62 bn) in cash and â¬276 million ($377.5 mm) in PVH common stock. The combination will create one of the world’s largest and most profitable apparel companies; a global business with combined revenue of approximately $4.6 billion.
PVH expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to earnings per share before one-time costs and accounting charges. PVH expects earnings accretion of $0.20 to $0.25 per share on a non-GAAP basis in the 2010 fiscal year ending January 30, 2011 and earnings accretion of $0.75 to $1.00 per share in the 2011 fiscal year ending January 29, 2012. The 2010 earnings accretion estimate excludes one-time cash integration costs and transaction expenses of approximately $100 million related to the transaction, or approximately $1.00 per share. PVH expects to realize approximately $40 million of annualized cost synergies in the transaction.
The closing of the transaction is subject to receipt of financing and other customary conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals, which PVH does not anticipate difficulty in obtaining. The transaction does not require a PVH stockholder vote and is expected to close during PVH’s fiscal 2010 second quarter.
“This is a unique opportunity to bring together two premier companies, each with iconic brands, which will deliver enhanced opportunities for our stockholders, business partners, customers and employees as we leverage a combined global platform in the years ahead,” said Emanuel Chirico, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PVH. “During almost four years as a private company under the leadership of Fred Gehring and his team, Tommy Hilfiger has continued to gain momentum in Europe and Asia, while successfully rebuilding its business in North America, producing impressive overall performance, and generating strong profitability and free cash flow even during the recession.”
“We are very pleased to be joining forces with PVH, one of the premier apparel companies in the world. The scale of the combined company in the U.S. will deliver obvious benefits for both companies, while Tommy Hilfiger’s significant international presence and infrastructure offers an opportunity for PVH to introduce a number of its brands into the international market,” said Fred Gehring, Chief Executive Officer of Tommy Hilfiger. “Customers around the world love Tommy Hilfiger’s classic American cool design and brand image and this transaction provides us with the perfect platform to support continued growth and success. We look forward to building on the momentum of the two companies, delivering significant growth for our customers, employees and partners long into the future.”
Added Emanuel Chirico, “Tommy Hilfiger fits all of our acquisition criteria: a strong brand, superior management, highly profitable, immediately accretive to earnings, and focused on international growth. We also believe that our cultures are highly compatible. All of this makes us confident that this compelling combination will generate strong revenue growth, high operating margins and substantial free cash flow, which should enable us to reduce debt very quickly while continuing to grow the companies respective brands and businesses.”
Upon the closing of the transaction, Mr. Tommy Hilfiger will remain in his role as Principal Designer and Visionary for the Tommy Hilfiger brand. Fred Gehring will continue as CEO of Tommy Hilfiger, will assume the added responsibility as CEO of PVH’s international operations, and will join the PVH Board of Directors.
Mr. Tommy Hilfiger said: “This is the next phase in the global evolution and expansion of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. I am confident that Manny Chirico and the PVH organization will provide Tommy Hilfiger with the support and investment to allow my great partners in the Tommy Hilfiger organization to do what is necessary to take our brand to new heights. I look forward to remaining actively involved in the business and believe that PVH is the ideal partner to help us achieve our goals.”
Mr. Christian Stahl, a partner at Apax Partners, said: “Apax and PVH have a history of successful partnerships from the time we supported PVH in its acquisition of Calvin Klein. The management team of Tommy Hilfiger has done an outstanding job in growing the business in a very difficult economic time. We are very pleased that these two great companies and management teams are coming together now to form one of the most powerful global fashion businesses and that we will be a significant stockholder in PVH going forward. PVH has a track record of smoothly integrating world class brands and creating a strong platform for significant future growth. They proved it with Calvin Klein, and we look forward to a similar success with Tommy Hilfiger.”
Tommy Hilfiger’s revenue for its fiscal year ending March 31, 2010 is expected to be approximately $2.25 billion, with earnings before interest and taxes of approximately $280 million, which excludes approximately $40 million of impairment charges, and depreciation and amortization of approximately $100 million. Approximately 46% of this revenue is expected to be derived from wholesale sales, 52% from retail sales, and 2% from licensing income, with 66% of total revenue from international sources and 34% from the U.S. Tommy Hilfiger has approximately 1,000 stores globally.
Terms and Financing of the Transaction
PVH expects to finance the â¬1.924 billion cash portion of the acquisition and refinance its $300 million of existing senior unsecured notes with a combination of approximately $385 million of cash on hand, $2.45 billion of senior secured debt (including an undrawn revolver of $450 million), $600 million of senior unsecured notes and $200 million in PVH perpetual convertible preferred stock described below. In addition, PVH currently plans to raise approximately $200 million in common stock through a public offering prior to closing.
Based on the closing price of PVH common stock on Friday, March 12, 2010 and current exchange rates, PVH would issue to Apax and the other Tommy Hilfiger shareholders approximately 8.7 million shares, subject to certain adjustments, or about 13% of the pro forma outstanding shares. The selling shareholders, including Apax, have agreed to lock-up provisions for a period of 9 to 15 months, subject to certain conditions.
PVH will acquire Tommy Hilfiger on a cash-free/debt-free basis, plus the assumption of â¬100 million in liabilities and a customary working capital adjustment. The transaction is subject to receipt of financing by PVH, which PVH has agreed to obtain subject to certain limitations on cost and terms. In the event that the transaction does not close due to failure to obtain the financing or certain other conditions, PVH has agreed to pay â¬69 million to the selling shareholders.
PVH has agreed with affiliates of LNK Partners, L.P. and MSD Capital, L.P. to sell, concurrent with the closing of the transaction, $200 million of perpetual preferred stock, convertible into PVH common stock at $47.74 per share. The preferred stock has no coupon and a liquidation preference equal to the face amount. The preferred stock is convertible into approximately 6% of the pro forma outstanding shares.
In addition to Mr. Gehring, upon closing, Christian Stahl and David Landau (a partner at LNK) will join the PVH Board of Directors. Details of the transaction will be included in a filing on Form 8-K, which PVH expects to file shortly.
Advisors
Peter J. Solomon Company L.P. is acting as lead financial advisor to PVH in connection with the acquisition and the financing of the transaction and sole advisor to the PVH Board of Directors. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal advisor to PVH.
Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank, global debt coordinators, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse and RBC Capital Markets will arrange financing for the transaction. Barclays Capital, Deutsche Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and RBC Capital Markets also acted as financial advisors to PVH.
Credit Suisse acted as lead financial advisor to the Tommy Hilfiger Group and as sole advisor to Apax Partners. Morgan Stanley and Citi also acted as financial advisors to Tommy Hilfiger Group. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Stibbe acted as legal advisors for the Tommy Hilfiger Group and Apax Partners. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP acted as financial diligence advisor and Ernst & Young LLP acted as tax advisor for the group.
