Vista Outdoor, Inc. announced the closing of its acquisition of Bozeman, MT-based Simms Fishing Products for a purchase price of $192.5 million, which includes a net present value of roughly $20 million in future tax benefits.
“The addition of Simms Fishing Products to the Vista Outdoor family is transformational for our growing Outdoor Products segment,” said Chris Metz, CEO. “As the anchor of our new fishing platform, Simms broadens our core addressable market into a new, highly attractive category with a premium, innovative brand that boasts significant room for growth. We are especially excited that Simms will continue to call Bozeman home and will keep designing and producing their world-famous waders in Montana.”
Simms was founded in 1980 and later acquired in 1993 by K.C. Walsh, its current executive chairman, who continues with the company as a strategic advisor and conservation and government affairs advocate. Simms CEO Casey Sheahan continues to lead the day-to-day operations and the current Simms management team and existing employee base will remain in place.
Simms is now part of Vista Outdoor’s Outdoor Products segment and will be included in the new Outdoor Products Company upon the completion of the previously announced separation.
Vista’s Outdoor Products segment also includes CamelBak, Bell, Giro, Camp Chef, Bushnell, Bushnell Golf, Foresight Sports, Stone Glacier, Fox Racing and QuietKat. Vista’s Sporting Products segment includes Federal, Remington, CCI, Speer, and Hevi-Shot.
Transaction Details
Vista Outdoor paid a gross purchase price of $192.5 million, which included a net present value of roughly $20 million in future tax benefits. Simms grew net sales by a compound annual growth rate of approximately 15 percent from calendar year 2019 to 2021 and is expected to grow in excess of that in calendar year 2022. Vista Outdoor expects the transaction to be accretive to earnings, excluding transaction costs, transition costs and inventory step-up, in fiscal year 2024.
Vista Outdoor financed this acquisition via an existing ABL credit facility. After the acquisition of Simms, Vista Outdoor’s leverage ratio is well within its target leverage ratio of one to two times. Vista Outdoor expects to de-lever to roughly 1.5 times by the end of the Fiscal Year 2023.
