EL PASO, Texas - Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE), a global consumer products company, has announced the definitive merger agreement to acquire Olive & June, LLC, a leading innovator in the nail care industry. The acquisition, valued at $240 million including a $15 million earnout, is expected to be completed before the end of the calendar year 2024, pending customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Olive & June, founded in 2013, has established itself as a pioneer in the DIY nail care space, offering products across various categories including polish, artificial nails, tools, treatment, and care. The brand is recognized for its product innovation and digital-first approach, which has cultivated strong brand loyalty and above-average social media engagement within the beauty industry.
The acquisition aligns with Helen of Troy's strategic goal of "Continuing Better Together M&A," aiming to leverage its scalable operating platform to enhance the growth of Olive & June, while also contributing to Helen of Troy's diversification of product offerings. The deal is anticipated to be immediately accretive to Helen of Troy's revenue growth rate, gross profit margin, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted diluted EPS growth rate, and free cash flow conversion.
Olive & June is expected to operate within a stand-alone but supported model, retaining its experienced management team, including founder and CEO Sarah Gibson Tuttle. Helen of Troy anticipates that this approach will preserve the brand's unique identity while benefiting from the company's complementary capabilities and scale to accelerate growth.
The company has also executed interest rate swaps to manage interest rate exposure on its variable rate debt, a move indicative of its financial strategy to maintain a healthy balance sheet. Helen of Troy's pro forma net leverage ratio is expected to be 3x or less post-acquisition.
Noel M. Geoffroy, CEO of Helen of Troy, expressed enthusiasm for the acquisition, citing Olive & June's innovative performance and vision. Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Olive & June's CEO, also conveyed excitement for the future growth and innovation opportunities as part of Helen of Troy.
Helen of Troy plans to update its fiscal 2025 outlook to include the incremental impact of Olive & June during its third-quarter earnings release on January 9, 2025. A conference call to discuss the acquisition is scheduled for Friday, November 22, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. ET.
This news article is based on a press release statement and contains information that may be considered non-GAAP financial measures. Helen of Troy advises that certain forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could affect actual results.
In other recent news, Helen of Troy reported Q2 fiscal 2025 results that exceeded market expectations, with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.21 and net income at $17 million. Despite a consolidated net sales decline of 3.5%, the company saw a 9% increase in U.S. distribution and significant international sales growth. Canaccord Genuity and DA Davidson have both adjusted their price targets for the company, maintaining a Buy and Neutral rating respectively.
The company's "Reset and Revitalize" initiative and the integration of Curlsmith into the distribution network have been highlighted as contributing factors to the performance. Helen of Troy anticipates full-year net sales to be between $1.885 billion and $1.935 billion, with adjusted EPS expected between $7 and $7.50.
As part of their long-term focus, the company is investing in brand innovation and marketing, while planning to reduce tariff exposure by diversifying production outside of China. These are some of the recent developments shaping the company's trajectory.
InvestingPro Insights
As Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) moves forward with its acquisition of Olive & June, LLC, investors may find additional context from recent financial data and expert insights valuable.
According to InvestingPro data, Helen of Troy's market capitalization stands at $1.58 billion, with a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.5. This relatively low P/E ratio could suggest that the stock is undervalued, especially considering the company's strategic expansion through the Olive & June acquisition.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that management has been aggressively buying back shares, which often signals confidence in the company's future prospects. This aligns well with the company's proactive approach to growth through acquisitions like Olive & June.
Despite a significant 37.22% price decline over the past six months, Helen of Troy has shown strong resilience with a 27.31% return over the last three months. This recent uptick could indicate that investors are beginning to recognize the potential value in the company's strategic moves.
It's worth noting that Helen of Troy's revenue for the last twelve months was $1.93 billion, with a slight decline of 3.96%. However, the acquisition of Olive & June is expected to be immediately accretive to revenue growth, potentially reversing this trend.
For investors seeking more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips and insights. In fact, there are 10 more InvestingPro Tips available for Helen of Troy, providing a deeper understanding of the company's financial health and market position.
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