Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) announced today it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire New York-based Togast LLC (“Togast”), which specializes in the design, sourcing and sale of licensed footwear. The purchase price for the acquisition is $33.7 million in cash at closing, plus up to an additional $34.0 million in cash contingent on the achievement of financial targets over the next four years. The purchase price paid at closing is expected to be funded from cash on hand. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in January 2020, and is expected to be accretive to next year’s earnings.
Prior to the acquisition, Togast served as distributor for Levi’s footwear in the United States. Commensurate with the closing of this transaction, Genesco will enter into a new U.S. footwear license agreement for men, women and children for Levi’s®, as well as renew and extend its men’s Dockers® footwear license. The addition of privately owned Togast brings to Genesco new sources of revenue and synergistic product development and offshore sourcing capabilities, which complement and enhance Genesco’s Licensed Brands division. In addition, the Togast purchase expands Genesco’s portfolio to include footwear licenses for G.H. Bass & Co., ADIO and FUBU, among others.
Genesco Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Robert J. Dennis said, “The acquisition of Togast adds scale to our successful licensed brands platform. The combination of our licensed business with Togast’s strengths furthers our footwear focused strategy by creating an even more robust platform within Genesco that can serve multiple tiers of distribution. We are also excited to add the Levi’s® footwear license to our portfolio and expand upon our long-standing business relationship with Levi Strauss & Co., which dates back to 1991.”
Genesco Licensed Brands President Andy Gilbert said, “We are pleased to broaden our portfolio of licensed footwear brands. We immediately recognized the sourcing capabilities and corresponding synergies with Licensed Brands that we would achieve through the acquisition of Togast, and I am personally excited to welcome Tony LoConte and his team to the Genesco family.”
Tony LoConte, owner of Togast, added, “In Genesco, we have found a partner whose capabilities are an outstanding match for our business operations. I am looking forward to working with the Genesco team to integrate our businesses and together continue the growth of Genesco’s branded partnerships in the future.”
PJ SOLOMON served as a financial advisor and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC acted as legal advisor to Genesco with respect to the transaction. MMG Advisors served as a financial advisor and Cole Schotz P.C. acted as legal advisor to Togast with respect to the transaction.
About Genesco Inc.
Genesco Inc., a Nashville-based specialty retailer, sells footwear and accessories in more than 1,490 retail stores throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, principally under the names Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Schuh, Schuh Kids, Little Burgundy, Johnston & Murphy, and on internet websites www.journeys.com, www.journeyskidz.com, www.journeys.ca, www.schuh.co.uk, www.littleburgundyshoes.com, www.johnstonmurphy.com, www.johnstonmurphy.ca, www.trask.com, and www.dockersshoes.com. In addition, Genesco sells wholesale footwear under its Johnston & Murphy brand, the Trask brand, the licensed Dockers brand, and other brands. For more information on Genesco and its operating divisions, please visit www.genesco.com.
