Joe’s Jeans and Robert Graham Announce Transformative
Transactions That Will Create a New Omni-Channel, Premium Branded Consumer
Platform.
Joe’s Jeans Inc. and RG Parent LLC on September 8, 2015
announced two transformative transactions.
First,
the Company has agreed to sell the Joe’s®
brand and operating assets for an
aggregate purchase price of $80 million to two separate buyers, Sequential Brands Group Inc.
(NASDAQ: SQBG) and Global
Brands Group Holding Limited (SEHK Stock Code: 787).
Proceeds from the transactions will be used to retire certain
outstanding indebtedness, including all indebtedness owed to the Company’s
senior term loan lender. The closings of the asset sale transactions are subject
to satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including the simultaneous
closings of both asset sales. It is anticipated that the asset sale transactions
will close by September 30, 2015.
Second,
the Company has agreed to merge the remaining Hudson business with the parent
company of Robert Graham, RG Parent LLC, a nationally-recognized fashion
brand. The strategic combination of the Robert Graham and Hudson® brands will
provide the foundation of a new, premium branded consumer platform that focuses
on organically growing its owned brands through a global, omni-channel strategy,
including premium wholesale department store and specialty stores,
direct-to-consumer retail stores, ecommerce, and licensing. Additionally, the
platform intends to seek opportunities to acquire accretive, complementary,
premium-plus brands.
Upon the closing of the Joe’s® brand asset sale
transactions, the Company will be renamed Differential Brands Group
Inc. (“DBG”) and remain listed on NASDAQ. The name change signifies the
transformation of these standalone businesses and the creation of a unified
consumer platform. After the completion of the merger transactions, the Robert
Graham equity holders will own approximately 47.3% of the Common Stock, the
preferred stock owned by Tengram will be convertible into approximately 23.9% of
the Common Stock, the convertible noteholders will own approximately 14.0% of
the Common Stock and the existing stockholders (including the outstanding equity
awards under the Company’s incentive plan) will own approximately 14.2% of the
Common Stock, all on a fully diluted basis. The merger is subject to regulatory
approval, as well as a vote of the Company’s stockholders on certain matters
related to the merger, including a one for thirty reverse stock split, and is
expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2015.
In connection with the merger, an affiliate of Tengram
Capital Partners (“Tengram”), a consumer-focused private equity firm and the
controlling owner of the Robert Graham business, has agreed to sponsor a
recapitalization of the combined business to improve and simplify the capital
structure. Tengram will purchase $50 million of new series A convertible
preferred stock of the Company. Upon the closing of the Merger, the outstanding
indebtedness of the Company owed to its senior revolving credit lender will be
paid in full, as well as certain indebtedness to the convertible noteholders and
Joe Dahan. In connection with the Merger, the holders of the Company’s
outstanding convertible notes, including Peter Kim and an affiliate of Fireman
Capital Partners, will exchange such notes for common stock, cash and modified
convertible notes.
Michael Buckley, current Chief Executive Officer of Robert
Graham, who has previous public company leadership experience at True Religion,
in addition to building Diesel, and Ben Sherman, has been tapped to lead DBG as
Chief Executive Officer, upon the closing of the Merger. Mr. Buckley stated, “I
believe Differential is uniquely positioned to become one of the leading premium
omni-channel brand platforms in the world, and I am thrilled to begin leading
the company as Chief Executive Officer after the closing of the Merger.” Mr.
Buckley stated, "I am excited to begin working closely with the Board of
Directors, Tengram Capital Partners and each of our current and future portfolio
brands in building shareholder value in the years to come.” Mr. Sweedler,
Co-founder and Managing Partner of Tengram added, “Tengram is thrilled to be the
lead sponsor in this transformative transaction and to have the opportunity to
create a second public platform with a focused operating playbook to fuel strong
growth in the foreseeable future.”
The issuance of shares and certain other transactions related
to the merger will require majority approval of the Company’s stockholders at a
stockholder meeting expected to be held during the fourth quarter of 2015. Joe
Dahan, beneficial owner of approximately 17% of the Company’s outstanding stock,
has entered into a voting agreement, pursuant to which he has agreed to vote his
shares in favor of the merger.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Piper
Jaffray advised Tengram and Robert Graham on the various transactions while Akin
Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and Carl Marks Securities LLC advised Joe’s
Jeans Inc.
B. Riley & Co., LLC served as the exclusive financial
advisor to Peter Kim and Fireman Capital Partners on all matters related to this
transaction while Sullivan & Cromwell LLP provided legal counsel to Mr. Kim
and McDermott Will & Emery LLP provided counsel to Fireman Capital Partners.
About Joe’s Jeans Inc.
Joe’s Jeans Inc. designs, produces and
sells apparel and apparel-related products to the retail and premium markets
under the Joe's® and Hudson® brands and related trademarks.
More information is available at the company’s websites at www.joesjeans.com
and www.hudsonjeans.com.
About Robert Graham
Robert Graham is 'American Eclectic.'
Since its launch in 2001, Robert Graham was created on the premise of
introducing sophisticated, eclectic style to the fashion market as an
American-based company with an intention of inspiring a global movement. Robert
Graham received the 2014 "Menswear Brand of the Year" award from the American
Apparel & Footwear Association. Robert Graham now operates freestanding
stores in 23 locations nationwide. The brand also sells at luxury department
stores and boutiques, and it has showrooms located in New York City, Los
Angeles, Dallas, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver (www.robertgraham.us).
Additional Information about the Proposed Merger and Where to
Find It
This communication relates to the proposed merger pursuant to
the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 8, 2015, by and among RG
Parent, LLC, JJ Merger Sub LLC and Joe’s Jeans Inc.
The source of the majority of the information above is from a
Joe’s Jeans Inc. news release. For the full details you can visit their site or
contact them for the full story. We have omitted portion of their release and
added a few comments of our own as well.
It appears that there are two different press releases
floating around. Possibly I am misunderstanding, but it appears that some of
the details has variance. The Globe Newswire release explains that
Sequential Brands Group buys the brand, and Global Brands Group is
signing a long term license. The other release from the Joe’s Jeans
Inc., investor relations website says the brand has two separate buyers. Also,
the dollar amounts are off.
HONG
KONG and NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Sequential Brands Group
and Global Brands Announce Strategic Partnership for Joe's Brand – “Sequential Brands Group, Inc. (SQBG) ("Sequential" or the "Company") announced today that
it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Joe's brand (the "Brand")
and certain other related assets for a total purchase price of approximately
US$67 million. In tandem with the acquisition, the Company announced the
signing of a long-term licensing agreement for all of the brand's core
categories with Global Brands Group Holding Limited ("Global Brands"; SEHK
Stock Code:787), one of the world's leading branded apparel, footwear, fashion
accessories, and lifestyle product companies. The long-term licensing agreement
will become effective upon closing of the acquisition.”
On the Joe’s Jeans Investor Relations website September 8,
2015
“Joe’s Jeans Inc. (NASDAQ: JOEZ) (the "Company") and RG
Parent LLC today announced two transformative transactions. First, the Company
has agreed to sell the Joe’s® brand and operating assets for an aggregate
purchase price of $80 million to two separate buyers, Sequential Brands
Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SQBG) and Global Brands Group Holding Limited (SEHK Stock
Code: 787). Proceeds from the transactions will be used to retire certain
outstanding indebtedness, including all indebtedness owed to the Company’s
senior term loan lender. The closings of the asset sale transactions are subject
to satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions, including the simultaneous
closings of both asset sales. It is anticipated that the asset sale transactions
will close by September 30, 2015.”
Brand Founder Joe Dahan to Continue Leading Product Design as
Creative Director
The first range of Joe's(R) products produced in
collaboration with Global Brands will launch in Spring 2016.
Looks like Li & Fung gains access to another
international fashion brand. Yes, Global Brands Group is a division of Fung
Holdings (formerly referenced as Li &
Fung).
Learn more about Sequential
Brands Group.
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