Shoe Carnival, Inc. announced that it had acquired substantially all of the privately-held, family-owned Shoe Station, Inc., which operates 21 stores in five Southeastern states. Shoe Carnival acquired its assets for $67 million, subject to customary adjustments, funded through cash on hand.
“We are excited to welcome Shoe Station to the Shoe Carnival team,” said Mark Worden, Shoe Carnival’s president and CEO. “Coming on the heels of our best quarter of our best year in our 43-year history, this deal accelerates our journey toward becoming a multi-billion dollar retailer in the years ahead.”
With this acquisition, the first in its history, the company will own and operate Shoe Station’s locations across the Southeast. Adding a new brand and new retail locations to the Shoe Carnival portfolio creates a complementary retail platform to serve a broader customer base across urban and suburban demographics. Shoe Station has a track record of capitalizing on emerging footwear fashion trends and introducing new brands to its customers.
Shoe Station’s current President and CEO, G. Brent Barkin, will become the company’s senior vice president, New Business Development & Integration, reporting to Worden. Barkin, the son of Shoe Station’s founder, Terry S. Barkin, has been with Shoe Station for over twenty years. G. Brent Barkin will continue to lead Shoe Station while focusing on new business growth opportunities for the combined company.
“Shoe Carnival brings infrastructure and financial backing to significantly accelerate our Shoe Station brand growth,” said Barkin. “Taken together, the two brands create a winning customer value proposition. We are delighted to become part of Shoe Carnival, and I cannot wait to partner with Mark and his talented team to unlock more exciting opportunities to come.”
Shoe Station is one of the largest independent shoe retailers in the U.S., with 21 locations in five Southeastern states—Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Shoe Carnival is one of the nation’s largest family footwear retailers, operating 377 stores in 35 states and Puerto Rico.
The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to diluted net income per share in fiscal 2022, contributing approximately $100 million in incremental net sales, with operating income exceeding 10 percent on a normalized basis. After the close of this acquisition, the Company will have more than $100 million in cash on hand, consistent with cash reserves from the same period in fiscal 2020.
With the addition of Shoe Station to the Shoe Carnival portfolio, the company expects to surpass 400 stores by the end of 2022, on a path to double-digit new store growth in the years ahead.
“Brent and his team share our values and vision for the future of family footwear retail,” concluded Worden. “Together, we are ready to create a multi-billion dollar company, defined and driven by traits that made us industry leaders today. We look forward to building on our joint success as we continue our growth trajectory and driving significant long-term value for all of our stakeholders.”
Jefferies, LLC served as financial advisor to Shoe Carnival, KPMG LLP served as the due diligence advisor to Shoe Carnival, and Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP served as its legal advisor in connection with the transaction.
Photo courtesy Shoe Station
