Amer Sports completed its acquisition of the Salomon business late last week. The transaction value is expected to be approximately €485 million ($593 mm) based on year-end 2004 figures. According to the European Commission on competition, Salomon was required to limit certain agreements with Fischer in Europe before the transaction could be completed (See BOSS_0542).

Amer will begin reporting Salomon results in its financial statements on October 1, 2005. While the acquisition is expected to have “significant effects” on Amer’s net sales during the fourth quarter of the present year, it is estimated to have no significant impact on Amer Sports' earnings per share for the current year.

The combined business will create a leading global sports equipment company with annual sales of about €1.7 billion ($2.1 bn) and 7,500 employees. Salomon will operate as its own business segment, The Salomon Group, and will continue to operate its own sales organization.