Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) announced that Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement under which it will acquire a privately held company Vogue International in a deal worth about $3.3 billion in cash. Based in Florida, Vogue is focused on the marketing, development and distribution of salon-influenced and nature inspired hair care and other personal care products.
The proposed acquisition will give Johnson & Johnson a full line of leading advanced hair care products including the OGX collection of shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products, body care and bath products, the FX line of hair styling products, and the Proganix and Maui Moisture hair care lines.
The acquisition is slated to close in the third quarter of 2016 and is not expected to impact Johnson & Johnson’s sales or earnings guidance for 2016 that was announced with first-quarter 2016 results.
We are positive on the deal. The Vogue acquisition is in line with Johnson & Johnson’s strategy of strengthening its global presence in the hair care category and will also complement the company’s existing Consumer portfolio.
Johnson & Johnson’s Consumer business currently has three $1 billion brands. The company expects to expand that to five $1 billion brands by 2020. The company has been working on prioritizing and investing in key Consumer areas including baby care, skin care and over-the-counter products and has been striking deals to augment the segment further.
This April, it announced its intention to acquire a privately held company NeoStrata, in a bid to boost its skin care portfolio. Financial terms of the agreement were undisclosed and the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2016.
Johnson & Johnson is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. Some favorably ranked stocks in the health care sector include Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) , Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and Retrophin, Inc. (NASDAQ:RTRX) . All three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).
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