Energizer Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:ENR) recently announced that it has closed the $340 million acquisition of HandStands Holding Corporation from Trivest Partners.
HandStands is a Utah-based company that occupies a premier position in the automotive fragrance and appearance markets. The company’s strong product portfolio has allowed it to consistently grow its sales over the past few years. In fact, it has also been selected as a partner of choice for retailers in the U.S. automotive fragrance category.
In 2015, HandStand generated sales of approximately $128 million. Moreover, more than 75% of its total sales in the U.S. are derived from existing Energizer retailers, which would likely make the integration process much smoother for the two entities.
This acquisition will allow Energizer to strategically diversify its product range. This is especially important as the company is already witnessing a decline in volumes in the Household products business. Earlier Energizer had revealed that it expects synergies of 15 cents to 20 cents in earnings per share in the first full fiscal following the close of the acquisition.
However, the cost of acquisition and integration will weigh on the company’s already leveraged balance sheet. At the end of the last reported quarter, the company had a net debt balance of over $400 million resulting from the ongoing reorganization of the business.
Key Picks from the Sector
Some other stocks worth considering in the same space include Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:OLLI) , Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE:NWL) and Blue Buffalo Pet Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:BUFF) .
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